Reclaimer (unfinished)
by megamanfreakinx
Summary: A descendant from Sir Lancelot, a regret filled fox, a lonely seedling who never quite truly is alone. Terrene, daughter of the courageous Mother and new Lifebinder, enters a world filled with darkness, hopelessness, death. With the help of Friend she might just prevent her predestined death. And only with the Inventor can she truly take back what is hers, and find the lost tribe.
1. Prologue

**I don't know you, but, I would like to say to you personally- thank you. You are the reason I am still writing this.**

 **Reclaimer (All Rights Reserved)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sonic characters or Sonic X, they are all owned by SEGA. Please refer to the Author's Note in the short story (Lover).**

 **Rated M**

 **(F) Represents a different font.**

 **To the one that will be.**

 **Prologue**

 **(F1)** I am free. I have finished what I promised. He, I may never be forgiven.

 **(F2)** Now, I die. Heed my warnings, see.

 **(F3)** I witness what was unseen. I came from a world known, unknown to me now. I have seen the incorruptible become corrupt. The past can never… unless, the Emergence Wave…

 **Part 1**

 **The End**

"Sonic."

"Max."

The blue hedgehog eyed the Mad King with great suspicion. Sonic was among the few who were told that the old king was not to be killed. Instead he was to endure a life in prison, never to see the light of day. Never to hear the voice of a soul. However, the Mad King was indeed alive, was given a weapon, and was given the freedom to roam his kingdom. More precisely, Maximillian walked and admired the Acorn's flagship: The Alicia. The majestic, battleship was named after Maximillian's lover, the would-be queen.

The chipmunk felt the sting of the breeze flow by his open cheek. Never did he think he would be out of the Acorn dungeons. But never did he think he would see his flagship again. Max looked over the stern. He admired the small waves crashing against the larboard. To the many different species which was the crew- Max appeared as a child. A child who was given a new plaything. The chipmunks, porcupines, pigs, turtles, and many others on board would never listen to their old king. But they passed him, fearing him, cursing him, and going on about their seamanlike chores. While some of the men and women on board questioned the authority of the queen, who was at the moment speaking to Hamlin, Max looked at her daughter again.

Sally began yelling at the pig, and commanded with her hands towards other shipmasters. She was at the base of the plank extending from the large ship. The yelling did not suit Sally well. Not only was it distasteful, but to many in the Acorn Kingdom, Sally seemed off edge at all times. She always believed that peace was the noblest of objectives. But to approach war in such a manner was unlike her. And it was more of the way she thought her father to be.

"My queen I must protest, what you are doing is not wise." Hamlin objected. The pig surveyed the other shipmasters as if to say- "this does not concern you".

Sally was all too busy to respond directly or even look at the pig, "Hamlin, you have been given your orders. From the time I woke up till now, you have gone on incessantly. We cannot fight two wars. Keep the Golden Hive at bay."

"Yes your grace. B-but who is to…" Hamlin looked at the other shipmasters and lowered his voice, getting closer to the queen, "Who will reign if anything were to happen to you?"

Sally detested Hamlin and everything he did and asked at that moment, "Hamlin when I return, I expect your letter of resignation on my desk." Sally puffed up her chest and signaled the pig with an accusatory finger, "Don't think I'm not on to you pig! That business with Dragons losing their homes, you're sick Hamlin! Sick!"

Hamlin stared back at his queen with a less than displeasing expression, "How dare you? I have been loyal to the crown for many decades! I will not stand for this!"

Sally's eyes raged with fire, "Do you really want to start with me?"

The other shipmasters quieted and stopped talking to the queen about ship formations and proper navigational techniques.

"The hells with you, and the hells with your misbegotten crown!" Hamlin spat.

Sally pushed what parchments she had away to a shipmaster and towered over the pig, "I think I'll have that letter now. From now on, Hamlin, you no longer work for the crown. Your services are no longer needed."

"I don't suppose I can have _that_ in writing?" Hamlin expectorated.

"Helmswoman!" Sally shouted, alerting the female steerswoman on her flagship.

"Yes your grace!" The female chipmunk shouted in response to the queen above where Max paid close attention to the bickering of his old advisor. Max scoffed at the pig.

"We leave now!" Sally shouted, still looking at the pig. "Mina." She motioned to the mongoose still at her side. Sally was handed a paper and quill, what she wrote she spoke aloud so Hamlin could hear. "Make sure this gets to Charles."

"Right away." Before the mongoose in mail could leave, Sally grabbed at her, whispered something, and dismissed her guard.

"That is all pig." Sally discharged Hamlin as he walked away proudly.

"That's my girl." Max whispered from above. Next to him yelled the Helmswoman at the crew, in response they yelled "aye ayes" and "yessir's".

Sally looked back and her eyes seemed to follow a trail that led to her father. Max looked at his daughter with soft eyes, he hoped she had not heard him. The wind howled and made Max's open mouth and teeth whistle. He held his skin-less cheek in pain. Sally realized what she was doing and spoke to the shipmasters once more.

"We keep a strict one to three ratio heading east. The Irons will have one of the three attack due west. The rest will be sure to strike from every other direction." Sally explained as she pointed on a giant map held by her and seven other shipmasters, while thirty-four other shipmasters surrounded her, and then another circle of thirty, waiting to deliberate to the other three hundred or so. "Most likely, the line of battle will be led by the Irons, they have the better ships."

"Supposing that were true," A chipmunk shipmaster pointed at above where the battle was thought to commence- in between the Long Sea. "Then the Irons will head westward, meaning, the tactical advantage will be given to one of the other two, the Legion or Knottingham- coming from the north- the Albanian Current."

"What tactical advantage?" Sally asked, she shivered at the chill the air brought. These plans were discussed to death the night before, and still Sally was pleased they were going over it again.

Another shipmaster chimed in, "There is an unnatural, strong current that begins north, close to Albion, and heads southward into Iron borders."

"Echidnopolis has the faster ships, but they are no match for Knottingham's fleet. Would Dimitri risk bulk over speed?" Another shipmaster added.

"Wait, "Sally interrupted, "So we may have a fleet speeding from the north? We'll just have to beat them to it."

"I have full confidence in the Acorn fleet." Another shipmaster added as others piped up and yelled "Ayes".

Sally rubbed her eyes. It was too early to be out, and way too early to be making war. "The end goal is to strip the Irons of their back-up. We can't take three armies at once, so, if the Irons come from the east, we spread the ratio in half, and head north and south. That goes for all other venues. Is everyone in agreement?"

All, either said or shouted "Aye". A walrus shipmaster added, "Plan of retreat?"

"We take the Long Sea south, and make our way to the southern border." Sally stated, looking at the faces of her brave shipmasters. They were scared, as she was. The frigid air was enough for Sally to clatter her teeth together. She looked around at the fearful faces, they longed to hear of good news, they, as much as the queen, hated war. But they each knew of a vital necessity. A stipulation they held for their families. Sons, daughters, wives, husbands. Those that mattered more than their own lives. They were on the margin of death and sanity. Looking over sanity's looming push over a steep cliff. Waiting for death's impending clutches to overcome them all.

"Gentlemen, gentlewomen…" Sally started, finding the words being pushed through the clatter of teeth, "We leave those simple titles behind today, and now, and give way to the cold embrace of war. Steel yourselves! Take heart, in the fact that we may never come back to our families. But knowing empirically, that because of us, there may yet be a future for our families! Raise the Acorn flag high!"

"Aye!" In unison, the shipmasters dismissed to spread the plan of action once more, and to give the same words their queen gave them, to their crews.

Sally was at first surrounded by many, and then for a moment left alone. The chipmunk queen looked at nothing in particular. The cold air should have bothered her more, but instead, she ignored the striking chills hitting her cheeks and mouth, and eyes. She well-regarded the hot air being created from her mouth, mixing with her atmosphere. Where her body pointed was The Great Forest, and other Acorns emerging from the trees. She looked onwards and began thinking, _is this real? Are we really going to war? How many more have to die?_

Sally would have instantly traded her life for the thousands that had already given theirs to the evils of the Iron Queen, or the wicked secrets of the Legion of Darkness. Part of her feared everything that had culminated to this point, but all of her, would leave, only to show that she was a good queen, or at least a decent queen. A queen that would die for her people. And no manner of ill-spoken rumors, or diagnoses from past blood, would deter her from being queen. The only queen, for that matter, that the Acorns needed.

This new Sally put panic in the hearts of the Acorns, but it would put dread in the hearts of Regina and her bulls alike. Unfortunately, even this new Sally, did not give Sally the hope she wanted. She was not confident she could defeat three armies at once, and still hold the Golden Hive at bay.

Sally saw the specter of her mother again, just off to the side of her view. She blinked hard. Every time that would happen she would count to ten, open her eyes again, and reveal nothing was there. Only, when she got to ten, her mother was still there. Sally shook her head violently, but she stopped, thinking, acting this way would get the attention of her shipmasters. She turned back and looked high upon her flagship. Her father was no longer looking at her, or in sight.

The queen now walked and faced the plank which led to her ship. She maneuvered out of the way of one of the men lifting a crate onto the thick and large plank. _Can I do it?_ She asked herself.

It wasn't a matter of if she could do it, or even if she should do it. The moral boundaries the queen had crossed until now had been withering away. Sally had already made her decision the moment she decided to wake up that morning. The moment she took the reins of her father's kingdom, that decision was made. It was only a matter of taking the first step.

Oh, how cold Sally should have been that morning, and that she was. But to her, the cold was the last thing that worried her. She made herself believe that the weather gave her unexplainable comfort. That somehow the chill was fueling her. And as she took the first step, the wind carried her east onto her second step, and so on.

Max, the old chipmunk, the one they called the Mad King, was not able to see his daughter climb the ship, and so, was surprised to find her giving orders atop the flagship. He made sure he gave his daughter the right amount of space. He had not tried to speak to her about any specifics- anything regarding their relation, or even anything apropos the kingdom or the coming war.

Max saw hundreds of ships lining up, some had started their venture, but ultimately would wait for the lead-warship. He held onto the railing above the gangway, some men had just finished placing cannons below.

The helmswoman gave a commanding shout and the men above let loose sails of the foremast, the mainmast and the mizzenmast. As they did, most of the men climbed down the shrouds as three stayed upon each crow's nest. Crew from bow to poop attended to the ship, below and above they hurried and scurried. Max made his way back to the stern where the helmswoman eyed him whenever he was not looking. He knew her as Mrs. Helmswoman, but could not get a name from her. Nor would she allow him to have it. He did not remember appointing her as captain, although, it was unheard of that the helmsman be made captain, let alone a woman captain. Much had changed in Max's absence. The kingdom he knew once was changed. He came to a much more rowdy, war-like atmosphere, albeit, still a good, and might he add, a better kingdom than before. Even with the much acquired debt from the largest and wealthiest kingdom- Echidnopolis, and conflict, he revered the work of his daughter.

He wondered if his daughter needed help. He knew she needed the help, but offering his help, that was something more. He was told that Jules, the new general was sent away and captured, then Bernie was sent to find the Destructix. On top of all that, Merlin had gone missing for months. Max could offer more than tactical strategies in the battlefield, he could direct his daughter in the right way. Offer even everything he knew about the Legion and the Irons. But would she take his council?

"Off we go then." Max whispered as they set sail.

The helmswoman chuckled at him as she eyed Max when he was not looking.

* * *

"Caity, this is _not_ our war."

"What about our friends? Are we just going to leave them too?"

"Sonic can take care of himself."

Knuckles the echidna strutted. His path surrounded his always-messy-but-now-cleaner-than-normal-kitchen, and his cluttered, uneven kitchen table. Each step was a much needed for the echidna to think, but with every anticipating step came the drudgery of suspense and the unnecessary admiration of his creaky hut.

Caitlyn the bat, or as you know her best, Rouge, stood her ground- at the threshold separating his kitchen and bedroom. It seemed that standing her ground would always work and help the bat win conversations, but as of late, these standings grew fickle, and had lost their groove. She thought it best to have these moments to parse through a meaningful conversation, and yet, as she stood, not sitting, it was all the more gratuitous.

"Sonic," Caitlyn began, feeling her mood change, and her expression became callous, "Sonic asked you for help. And you turned him down."

"So?" Knuckles did not look her way, "It's not like that hasn't happened before."

"You're bigger than that." Caitlyn scoffed at her partner. It was times like these when she would storm off, but something about his uncaring comments made her stay and she felt disgust at his idleness.

Knuckles pressed his fists on the uneven table and looked the bat square in the eyes, "What would you have me do? My hands are tied, my charge is with the emerald, and you know that."

"Why?" Caitlyn raised both of her arms in question, "What is the worse that's going to happen? Nobody wants it. No one has taken it in years, except for me and Eggman."

"But that's exactly why. Everyone thinks the Master Emerald has no magical properties like the other emeralds do, sure, that might be true, but what do you think keeps the other emeralds in check? And now that we know there is a thief here, other than you, who likes emeralds, you would ask me to leave?" Knuckles raised his voice, making the bat feel uncomfortable. He saw his words stung deeper than any wound he had given her before. "Caity, I didn't think." The echidna measured his words before he spoke again, "I promised you I would think before I spoke."

The bat should have been angrier with the echidna, but she felt lightheaded, something she had never felt before. Caitlyn took a seat next to the uneven table and took long breaths before speaking again. "I'm not angry with you."

Knuckles noticed this new reaction and sat himself next to the bat, "Is everything alright?"

"You know things are not alright. This whole Sonic thing… and no one has seen Tails or Cosmo in weeks. And what about Helen, and Rimas? It all just worries me." Caitlyn felt a strange, alien feeling overcome her. Could it be? Could it be the overwhelming feeling of redemption? Carried out through the vestiges of friendship. This, white, bat would love and hate to think so.

"What can I do?" Knuckles extended his arm and held the rough hands of the bat, with his own coarse, red hands. It was an odd sight to see Knuckles without his giant, white, gloves, and yet the two had grown accustomed to much of themselves throughout the months. Their true selves of course.

"You mean, what can we do?" Caitlyn restated for the echidna. As the bat winced in faint pain, the echidna took the time to caress her cheek. Which she gladly took and supported with her other hand.

"Of course that's what I mean." Knuckles closed his eyes and imagined them someplace else, alone, without fright and tears. "Where would I be without you?"

Caitlyn sneered, "Knuckie, you know how I feel about that." The bat made herself chuckle but also made herself be sterner.

"I'm serious, and I'll keep saying it." Knuckles opened his eyes to see the same result of the topic brought up. " _I love you_ _Caity_." With each word and the name came great, simple, and soft enunciation. A phrase now deliberate to Knuckles, but it came with too much clarity and attachment for Caitlyn.

The bat began to bite her nails nervously and looked around and away from the echidna. Knuckles patted her hands away and said, "Hey, stop that. It's a bad habit."

"Sorry." The bat apologized, but the words seemed to flutter away from the intended and found their way escaping the hut.

Knuckles let each unresponsive response go without question, but through him, he mistrusted Caitlyn. Within he felt she loved another. A fault and thinking error that came naturally with the simple and through-the-motions relationship. But it was her inability to say the words that should have been studied more closely. A fault, not of hers, and not of his.

Knuckles sighed plainly and left the room, worrying the bat a tad. When he came back he placed the emerald shards on the table and his lucky hat on his head. The emerald shards had begun to heal themselves, but not as quickly as Knuckles wanted.

"Maybe, Charles will need some help." Knuckles assumed as the bat got up to lightly kiss him.

"Thank you." Caitlyn whispered. The two began to walk away but the bat was stopped by Knuckles.

"I'm scared. Of losing you." Knuckles confessed. He hated himself for becoming so emotional, even in front of the woman he loved.

"You won't." Caitlyn sealed the promise with another kiss.

* * *

"The Forgotten War. In the days of Jun Kun there were three major wars. The first as we all know it, was the fall of Camelot, the Dragons or, the Shinobi Clan, as they were called then, were given that kingdom." Max had to constantly hold the left side of his open cheek. The whistling that came in through his mouth had become aggravating for him, and distracting to his daughter and the helmswoman. Even Sonic had sat a few feet away from the old king.

It was still light out, so when Max laid all manner of trinkets on a map on a wavering barrel, it could be seen clearly. Max had retained his entire mannerism and gesticulation from a life ago, this bothered the blue hedgehog. Speaking with demeanor was always the aim of Max, letting go of his sister's death-Sonic was unprepared to do.

With or without the attention of the Hero of Time, Max continued, "The second, The Silent War, was all rumors and rumors of war. Apparently powers were shifted, and control was taken from the Irons for a time, only to be given back. The third, "Max raised a finger and pointed on the map- east of the Long Sea, where Knottingham should be, and then where Camelot once was- west of the Long Sea. "Secession's War." A great sea of both pain and recollections filled the chipmunk's head. He quickly and automatically shot a distant look at his daughter, "Your mother and I made the Camelot Freedom Fighters."

Sally had heard the story many times, and even Sonic, who seemed uninterested, gave little attention to Max. Sonic interrupted him, still not looking his way, "We don't need a history lesson."

Max nodded, and with clattering teeth responded, "Right. I led all campaigns against the Irons. On Camelot grounds, and on their ground." Max looked as if he had misplaced something of his, "Actually, except for one, I befell a sickness. Sally you're too young to remember the Dark Plague."

"No, I've heard of it." Sally nodded and reassured Sonic and the chipmunk helmswoman, "That's how Knottingham lost their last king." Sally looked around to see the only one who knew what she was referring to was her father, "You've all heard the stories. First it was Rob, the king's son, and then King Lionel. So the crown was given to his brother Ban."

Sonic shrugged indifferently, his mood since that morning had not improved, and Sally was picking up on it. She could not say she did not approve, but she guessed in time of war, that was to be expected.

Sally was still unclear on many things, she returned her attention to her father, "Wait, so how did you survive? Victims of the Dark Plague are said to never recover."

Max chuckled, he was glad she had asked, "That was what I was getting at." Max stopped pressing his fists against the wobbly barrel, and began to clutch at his hand. He unhurriedly removed the glove of his left hand, this time getting the attention of Sonic. The old king revealed a dark, splotchy, mark on his hand, starting from the tip of his pointer finger, spiraling down to his elbow. Sally remembered the dark scar, but was never explained to her of what it was.

Max started to speak again, only this time with less fervor, "My men, and even I, were losing. We saw our true opponent, Regina, that ruthless cow. But there was another. You all know Dimitri. Dimitri had uncovered Graal, Galahad's sword. Stole it right from under us." Max paused, he felt the information he was giving was plentiful enough to inspire confusion.

Max continued, "He gave the sword to Regina, and that seemed like the end. Before I befell the sickness I saw her, fighting. She hardly moved. You would see her coming, but, the sword was too quick. One person, one fat, cow lady, had the entire Freedoms Fighters beaten."

Sonic shook his head, "What? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, we almost lost to Regina. Not the Irons, just her." Max said plainly.

"Pigswallow." The helmswoman spat.

"I agree with Mrs. Helmswoman." Sonic looked back out to sea. "You've been locked away too long dear Max."

Sally raised her hand, "Please, continue."

"Really?" Both the helmswoman and Sonic asked simultaneously.

Max smiled, but it quickly turned feign, "Regina will risk fighting this battle." This comment made Sally's eyes widen. "The Iron queen has become overconfident. We take the queen…"

"We take the biggest piece." Sally finished for him.

"You really think the Iron queen will risk dying, over the biggest battle of the century? Perhaps even of three centuries?" Sonic asked.

"Yes." Max responded. "The trick is, fighting Graal."

Sonic scoffed, "I've had my share of focus locus, but magic swords?"

"In my day, Caliburn was the cornerstone of animal evolution in the kingdom. Without its light we would not have been able to make the Acorn kingdom in the first place!" Max realized he had shouted and apologized.

"Easy gramps." Sonic retorted, "And where is that sword now I wonder?" Sonic knew which nerve to hit.

Max took two deep breaths and began to direct himself to the blue hedgehog, "I know I have wronged you, and your family, in ways that I can't possibly-"

"You're an old sard!" Sonic excused himself as he yelled the words. He climbed down and Sally was shocked to hear Sonic use such inflammatory language.

As Sally began to follow after Sonic she was stopped by Max, "Leave him be, he's right." Sally saw her father was holding on to her and gave him a distasteful look. Fiona, from afar looked concerned and got up to see what the matter was.

When Max let her go Sally began, saying to the helmswoman, "Give the signal."

The steerswoman nodded and lit a torch. She began to raise a flag, signaling the other ships. She was hailing them, using an old Acorn code designed by Max.

Sally looked at her father again, this time disappointingly, "This is the point of no return. Whoever turns back now, will be branded a traitor."

* * *

The order was to walk covertly to the destination point. But being surreptitious wasn't a strong attribute for the Golden Armada, or even walking for that matter. But the hums had definitely and significantly died down since they reached the Acorn Border. Perhaps the heir of The Golden Hive would have ushered better- if he were still under the impression that his people were fighting for something righteous. His wife, Saffron was not at all convinced. But Charmy, had something to prove.

The two newly-weds brought a scrupulous energy of satisfactory pliancy. Not in the sense of near-insubordination, but more of the fact of receiving- new-air, from this heir.

"The map says there is a river past this next bend. It leads up to the Dragon Dojo." Saffron whispered to the much-armored, young bee.

"No river." Charmy corrected. It would be half-light in a few hours, and so would begin again their march.

"Okay, but the map says-"Saffron tried.

"No river. The map is wrong." The boy-bee snapped. The two stationed behind a clearing of trees, inside a tall oak. The rest of his army might have done the same behind them, or in between tall grass.

Saffron quieted. She wondered if her company was enough to keep Charmy at bay, or keep him reviled at the task at hand, or even at her. The image the Queen-Bee had of her other half was of the one she knew from as long as she could remember, to their sixth birthday. It was very unlike the reflection Charmy was portraying now.

 _He's never this quiet,_ Saffron thought as she brushed away excess mail from her knees. Even as she wore armor the girl seemed fashionably dressed. While her hair matched her golden breastplate, she had her metal boots painted with bright pink. Her leggings were also laced with pink. And as she uncomfortably shifted on the tree the two hid in, Saffron placed her hand on Charmy's cheek.

Charmy was caught off guard, looking and tracing the stinger engraved on his chestplate. He quickly noticed his dozing off and tugged at the map slightly, away from the girl. As she handed him the parchment he proceeded to point at the river first, then the dojo, North of the dojo and a few inches left of it, "No river, "Charmy repeated, "the dojo is farther north. I know it because I've been there with Espio and Vector plenty of times. Before entering Dragon territory, we slept in a village called Newcork. And…" He paused, he had a distant look as he said the words, "I think the mayor… no- governor was called Sir Eleanor. I guess I remember how nice she was because the Dragons were kind of mean. Except for Valdez." Another distant look.

"You have good memory." Saffron complimented. She had begun to play with her hair and had found an unwanted and knotty curl.

"We had to, Vector made us research before we went detectiving." Charmy wondered if that was an actual word, as did Saffron.

The bee-girl tried to identify the cause of Charmy's discontent. It was easy to talk to him, about anything, and he never hid secrets from her. But one thing he spoke of less was about his two companions. This time she placed her hand on his knee and she pried, "You never talk about Vector, or Espio much." She half expected him to make a joke about it.

"What's there to talk about?" Charmy was cold in his remark.

"They were your friends too, weren't they?" She almost ignored his last comment.

Charmy nodded and looked up. Through a clearing of leaves he no longer saw the sun, but a reflection of dying rays.

"Maybe we should visit them." Saffron hoped.

But Charmy ignored, "Isn't it weird that we haven't encountered anyone? A whole army, ten caravans, and enough supplies to last-years. If you haven't caught on, that's why we are waiting for half-light now."

"Don't change the subject." Saffron snapped. "And don't be snide with me."

Charmy looked away embarrassed and apologized, "Sorry sweetie."

Saffron softened her tone as she heard his "sweetie" remark, "Charmy, be straight with me. Why won't you talk about them? And, why are you doing this?"

Charmy looked at his wife with a puzzled look, "You know why. I have to earn my title, I have to be respected."

The girl was not at all satisfied with his response, but she trusted Charmy with all of her being. She remembered, before they left, Charmy was set on leaving his crown. He did not deem himself worthy of his father's estate, belongings, or any of the kingdom. His parent's untimely passing shook both him and Saffron. She wondered if it was at all appropriate to even bring that up. But with the Dark Plague, comes little cure, and for Charmy, his little cure would have to be time.

"I hope you know-" Saffron was interrupted by a soldier bee in golden plated armor.

"My king, my queen," He was a relatively young bee, who would have looked younger if it wasn't for his shadowy facial hair, "It's Captain Florentine." He said pointing at another tree, close to theirs.

"What is it Aster?" Charmy was proud that he remembered the bee's name. But as he commanded, he felt ungainly for the fact that Aster was probably two decades older than him.

"He's been sick since we left the hive." Aster started again, both bee's feelings reciprocating, "He just fainted."

Charmy quickly looked at Saffron, she returned the glance. The two left their tree, walked and climbed the tree that Aster led them to. It was larger than theirs, and it fit about twenty of the bees. Two of the soldier bees had the captain lying upright on a thick branch, making sure he was given water and was kept from falling off.

Captain Florentine was in his sixties, and he still wore his black armor from forgotten wars. Although, his helm lay on his stomach, many a times it fell from the tree.

"Mm-… sh… shadows…" Florentine mumbled.

"What does he have Lieutenant?" Charmy asked Aster while he and Saffron's attention was at the mumbling bee.

"He never told me, he always brushed it off and said he was fine." Aster clenched his fist as if he was in great pain and Saffron noticed this.

Charmy grabbed hold of one of the soldier bees, "Basil, give the Delay Signal."

"Right away your grace." The bee enthusiastically responded and left the tree."

"We can't delay all for one bee." Saffron reminded Charmy.

"We can take care of him. We can stay here if we need to, until he's better." One of the two taking care of the captain offered.

Charmy shook his head, "I know, it's not that." The bee climbed down the tree and his wife followed. The young bee felt a sting and a pain in his head. He held his temple until Saffron reached him.

"What's wrong?" Saffron asked.

"Something feels wrong." Charmy looked at the sky once more, seeing the last of the rays of half-light.

"Do you think it's the Dark Plague?" Saffron wondered.

Charmy shook his head again with discomfort, "The plague is faster, and you can see it. It's probably just exhaustion."

"Well, whatever it is, I think Aster has it too, I think." She said without thinking.

"What makes you say that?" Charmy asked.

The Queen-Bee shrugged.


	2. Chapter 1: Servants Of The Faceless One

**Chapter 1**

 **Servants Of The Faceless One**

"You didn't need to say that."

Sonic didn't need to look back to realize who was approaching him at the gangway. Sally was dressed in her usual red and blue attire. It matched the hedgehog and the open sea.

Under normal circumstances, Sonic would have apologized. But the mixture of sea-sickness and anger hindered any sympathy coming the Mad King's way, and even Sally. The hedgehog was silent as Sally did not even look at him. Sonic wiped away small remains of bile he had just released into the open ocean, before Sally came.

"I'm not asking you to forgive him, but I do need you to work with him." Sally started again, still staring into the rocky ocean.

"You were supposed to kill him." Sonic spoke silently and coldly.

Sally sighed swiftly, "What is in the past should stay in the past. Don't you think?" The queen finally realized the gravity of Sonic's remark and looked at him testily, "I was a girl!"

Sonic raised his finger at the queen, not minding his manners and whispered loudly, "He killed my sister!"

"He knows about the Legion and the Dark One." Sally tried explaining. "Besides, he's been through a lot. And he's been imprisoned for nine years. I think he's earned some leeway. And _yes_! Because he's my father, before you ask."

Sally looked away again, as this time Sonic gazed at her, "You saw what he did, he killed those people. His friends. Do you remember them? Because I do." Sonic sighed, angrily closing his eyes and seeing past animals in a distant, forgotten land. "Harold, Bunnie, Amadeus, Rosemary…" The hedgehog winced, but there was no sound. Perhaps his body was recoiling in the horror of what was the memory of his sister. "Sonia."

Sally grabbed at Sonic's wrist tightly, "I think about that day more often than I'd like to. Everyone tells me it's a sickness, that the madness is real." She shuddered, "Whatever happened that day, it wasn't my father. It wasn't the Maximillian I knew. And even if it's true, I can relate completely."

Sonic noticed Sally's handle on him and did not know what the queen meant. But Sally did not wait for the hedgehog to ask. Instead she grabbed at the hedgehog more fiercely but less tightly.

There was a loud sound that came from the bowels of The Alicia, and it rumbled through the chipmunk's and the hedgehog's stomachs. As the ship settled, the sun finally disappeared, and the horizon converted reds and oranges into purples and dark blues.

The great waters of the Long Sea pushed and pulled all of the hundreds of Acorn ships, farther and farther away from placated shores, and remembered lands. Even though all the men were warned to be quiet, crossing those mysterious seas, nothing stirred below at the moment.

The two overheard reserved laughing from below. As they looked back they saw most of the crew surrounding a fire, sharing in stories and strong beverages. Sally looked as if to mention something to the hedgehog. Her mind weighed heavily on the thought of the hedgehog's sister. But the queen only slid her hand down and clasped hands with Sonic.

"C'mon." Sally motioned as she took Sonic to the detached group.

Sonic should have been more uneasy about the queen holding his hand, however, a distant yet close chipmunk could be seen in the corner of his eye- making this hedgehog brood all over again.

The two famous animals were warmly welcomed by a few chipmunks, some porcupines, a turtle, three walruses, a handful of fish, and Mrs. Helmswoman, who apparently still had no real name amongst her crew.

Each stared at the fire, sometimes, even when one person spoke. As one did, he would stare up to see some staring back and some still gazing at the red crackles of the fire. All wondered if they were being quiet enough for the sea, but no one hushed anyone. Two chipmunks next to Sonic exchanged drinks and were heard sipping while no one spoke of a story. They had all seemed to quiet down as the queen had appeared.

"Come now, I'm just another crewwoman." Sally had spoken. Hesitantly she took the offering of rum from the turtle to her right. He appeared to be more drunk than all the others. He stared at the queen from time to time, smiling and complimenting something incomprehensible. Sally wondered if the turtle even knew if she was the queen.

"Don't mind him." The helmswoman noted, "We call him Smash. With good reason."

Sally noticed that the captain took a swig of whatever she was drinking.

"Sonic."

"Hm?" Sonic looked up to his left to see one of the chipmunk brothers was looking at him.

"Why do they call you the Hero of Time? I always wondered that." The chipmunk brother chuckled lightly. You could hear him slur a few of his words as he asked.

Sonic and Sally quickly glanced at each other, almost embarrassed at the question. As the blue hedgehog looked back he stuttered his answer, many times looking back at the queen for approval, "Well, you see… That's a long story."

"All we have is time." One of the fish commented as he burped through a drink.

"What he means to say is that, it's classified." Sally chuckled nervously. A part of her cursed herself for ever saying that so she apologized.

"Oh boo!" All echoed in unison.

Sonic noticed the queen was looking a little tipsy. Not only was she never to talk about what she had just mentioned, but she had labeled it as "classified", worrying Sonic about the whole thing. Sonic returned, "What _she_ means is that _I_ saved… time." He puffed his chest up sarcastically.

"Boo!" In unison again, "Weak!"

"Does anyone actually believe that you were titled that because of the Mad King?" The other chipmunk brother brought up not looking Sonic's way. Everyone but the queen and Sonic shook their heads. "Kingslayer would have been more appropriate."

Max uncomfortably heard close by but no one regarded him. The old king looked away, thinking he might alienate the crew if he watched. Sonic looked at the queen again as she spoke, "It's all right, I dun-don't know why we ever decided to leave it a secret." Sally hiccupped unexpectedly.

"I do." Sonic plainly stated.

"C'mon." In unison some chanted, "Tell us."

Sonic looked around, smiling, he felt annoyed. "Fine."

All eyes were on him now, waiting intently for their hero to tell them of an exciting adventure.

"A long time ago, "Sonic joked as if he was beginning a fairy story, "there was this young hedgehog called Sonic. One day, Sonic met this person, let's call him Mister O. And Mister O…" Sonic trailed off. With every thought of it, came extreme guilt and sadness. And Sally, most of all, noticed this. "Mister O and I became friends, and one day, there was an accident. Mister O was killed." Sonic almost choked on his own words.

Sally stopped drinking and paid close attention to each of his words, as were all of the crew, silent and respectful.

Sonic continued, feeling even more eyes on him this time, "Before he died, I saw myself. I saw myself leave. Port away. I know how insane that sounds, but, it's what I saw. Later Merlin explained to me that Mister O needed to die, and that some future of me was sent to make sure that happened. So… I was given the title, for doing nothing. The title was just a cover for the Mad King, since the dates were so close together."

Sonic waited for all to be quiet and remain staring at him as he finished his story. But to his surprise, there were mild claps and, "Thanks for sharing's". Sonic looked at the helmswoman in confusion.

"We're polite around here." The helmswoman nodded and clarified.

Sally began chewing on hard bread that was being passed around. When it got to Sonic's turn he turned it down and kept it going to his left.

"I wasn't goin' to mention anythin' but…" The turtle started, still eyeballing Sally. "There's been no rumblin's."

Both Sally and Sonic looked around with confused looks as the helmswoman responded, "Smash is right, this far out, we should have felt the creature."

Everyone looked at the fire, mesmerized by its wavering flickers. There were many dangers made famous by word of mouth. On land, in the kingdom, was Chestnut Prison. In the ocean, was the terror the tides brought in. No one saw much, which made whatever thing lurked below, terrifying.

"What is the creature?" Sally asked, suddenly interested in their conversation, still staring at the fire, and also sensing her father stare at her in the dark behind her.

"The Terror of the Tides, The Foul Fiend from below." The turtle said as the helmswoman began to explain. She quieted as he continued, and when he spoke it was sensed that he knew because of much more than stories he had heard. "Aye, I saw it once. I was an old turtle still when it happened. Right here on this very ship, Mrs. Helmswoman remembers it too."

Each looked at the nodding helmswoman, each a bit frightened by the story, but all paying close attention to the old, wrinkly turtle.

"It was a particularly long day, but mind you it was nerve-racking. Aye the days are long out in the Long Sea, but this day was different. There was an air of mystery, and the crew was stirring. Simply put, our heads _ached_." The old turtle took another sip of his drink, "Come night time, we heard, whispers, nothing consistent, but ye could hear distant moans and cries. Like if the sea itself was calling out to us, to jump in and be swallowed whole. SNAP!" The turtle made a motion with his hands that clasped together. Everyone around him but the helmswoman jumped back. Sonic chuckled nervously as he looked around at more chuckles, only the helmswoman did not even move.

The turtle continued, "No one slept that night, some woke up screaming bloody demon, or Dark One, depending on where you were from. I had crows nest duty that night, and then we saw them." All animals' eyes widened, some still chuckling trying to get the terror to shake away. "I saw them coming from leagues away, distant, white lights. As they neared the ship we saw they were people, animals from past lives. We recognized them as family, friends, good people we had lost out at sea. They called out to us, some of us listened. We tried to restrain them, but some of the crew were already out swimming towards the lights. And then, the creature took them!" Another jump from the audience.

The turtle sighed remembering who he had lost, "The creature wasn't always there, down below."

The helmswoman rolled her eyes at this part, "I think it's time we rest."

The turtle stopped the crew as they were leaving, "Someone put it there! That creature is not of this world! Heed me warning, ye be already lost if you feel the aches!"

It was a bit anticlimactic but everyone left a bit spooked. Sally motioned for Sonic as the two headed for the captain's cabin. The two passed Max who looked down while they walked by. Sonic did not look his way and kept his distance, Sally managed a small glance before the two climbed and reached the door of the cabin.

Sally stopped the hedgehog, "Do you think," She slurred her words greatly and paused, "Do you think we, I'm that we are doing the right thing?" Sally tried opening the door a few times as she looked at Sonic.

"What do you mean?" Sonic noticed the queen was unable to open the door so he opened it for her.

As Sally noticed her mistake she looked up at the blue hedgehog and smiled, "Thanks." One foot in the queen tripped and was caught by the hedgehog.

"Easy there." He supported her weight as she smiled and laughed.

"Oops, I might need help." Sally laughed.

"Yeah." Sonic said plainly.

"Can you help me to my bed?" Sally slyly asked as she hiccupped.

Sonic gave her the benefit of the doubt and blushed at her request. As he dragged her he noticed two beds. One was decorated in fine silks of blue and red, the other looked shabbier so Sonic laid the queen on the better looking one.

Sonic questioned himself as he sat on the bed next to Sally. She slid off her boots, not looking any other way but Sonic's. She couldn't help but giggle.

"I should go." Sonic was abruptly stopped.

"No, please stay." Sally grabbed at Sonic's arm with her entire body.

"I really, ah…" Sonic trailed off as he was dragged back on the silky bed.

Sally quickly reached for something on her nightstand, all the while making everything on it fall. When she finally felt for her mirror she pulled it towards her and realized she was fixing her hair in front of the hedgehog. She blushed and tried to reconstitute herself. As she cleared her throat she sat, legs crossed on her bed and turned her body towards the hedgehog. Sally tried to think of something to say.

Luckily Sonic brought up, "What did you mean before, when you asked if what we were doing was right?" Sonic bit his lip, the situation was making him blush and he knew and felt it.

"Oh." Sally looked down, "I worry sometimes."

"That's kind of the queen's job." Sonic chuckled nervously- he felt within his gloves that his palms were sweating. He brushed his hair back feeling panicky.

"Yeah, I guess so." Sally looked around still not knowing what to say. "I just wanted to know, you know? If we were still the good guys."

Sonic finally looked at the queen, he sternly responded, "Of course we are. Hey." He grabbed her hand making her look up at him. "You're a good queen." He tried reassuring her.

"Thanks," She smiled warmly, "You're not so bad yourself." She paused and wondered what she could mean by that, "I mean, you're not a queen, but." She trailed off. Sally shifted her hand on his knee and began blushing herself, "Do you… do you ever think about me?"

Sonic froze, visibly he did not move, all blue flags were up in his mind. "Uh." He nervously looked around but found it more difficult than moving. "Well…"

"Yes?" Sally asked longingly. She scooted closer to the hedgehog. As she shifted her hand closer to his leg he grabbed her hand and proceeded to make incomprehensible sounds.

"I'm not…" Sonic trailed off again.

"Yes?" Sally seemed impatient now, looking at him grab her hand. Seeing as to him not giving more than two words for an answer, Sally commented, "I wouldn't mind if you stayed… the night."

"Well, this has been… professional." Sonic blurted, but still not finding the means to move away.

Sally reached for the Sonic's head with both of her hands, she slowly pulled him closer to her. She closed her eyes and as he was being pulled, still slowly but surely, he let himself go and pursed his lips on hers. The two swayed heads around each other automatically- deepening the kiss. Now the two held each other passionately keeping each other together. Sonic swiftly retreated, feeling out of place.

"What?" She asked, puzzled at him stopping.

"I'm sorry." The hedgehog speedily walked away and left the queen at a complete loss.

The hedgehog found himself outside, leaning his arms on the gangway and covering his face with his hands.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Sally touched his shoulder lightly.

He did not look up, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

Sally paused and thought, "Why?"

Sonic only shook his head.

"Is there someone else?" She asked, feeling reddened by the question.

He did not respond.

Sally sped away, embarrassed, back to her quarters.

Sonic looked up, angry at himself. Something caught his gaze at the blue distance. He noticed a few beckoning lights.

* * *

"Yes what is it?"

There was another knock on the laboratory door. "Consarnit, can't you see I'm… Oh, I guess you can't see." Sir Charles ruffled up his long, white, moustache and chuckled to himself briefly. The blue hedgehog looked most unseasonably when he hit the corner of a table while trying to get the door. All manner of trinkets and machines whirred out of control on the floor as the hedgehog picked himself up. "Yes, here we go."

As he came to the door he paused and looked around at one of the machines. It was getting louder and louder, "Shh! We have visitors!" Charles waited patiently for the metal contraption to quiet down and he opened the door. "Knuckles! Good morning, or afternoon, I can't tell from in here."

"Sir Charles, we came to help." Knuckles carried a large bag which seemed to be heavy, he came to alongside Caitlyn.

The hedgehog raised his hand, "Just Charles," He corrected while motioning for them to come in, "Come in please. Did Sally send you?"

As the two entered the now cluttered room Knuckles put the bag filled with the Master Emerald on the table with no trinkets. "No, we came because we sort of figured you would need some assistance." Knuckles looked around at the mess wondering what had happened.

Charles also looked at the mess, discomfited at the sty he had made. "I apologize about the muddle. I've been in and out of here, not having much time to…" His thought trailed off, "Yes, I need much help. Running the kingdom is quite… hectic. Luckily I still have Hamlin and the others." Charles began to pick up his machines as he finally noticed the white bat. "I don't think we've met, Charles." He grabbed the bat's hand ceremoniously and kissed it.

Caitlyn chortled shyly, "Rou- I uh, Caitlyn."

"Delighted." Charles smiled warmly at the bat. He looked over at the table- it was shining a light, green color. "What have you brought me?"

"Oh, the Master Emerald. I think it would be much safer here." Knuckles picked up the bag and showed it to the hedgehog.

"It's a great power source too." Caitlyn offered.

"Right." Knuckles muttered.

"May I?" Charles looked to Knuckles as if the green emerald were a plaything.

"Go right ahead, no one else seems to want _that_ from me nowadays. Knuckles mumbled.

Enchanted by the green rock, Charles took the bag and all of its contents to his office, farthest from the door. Meanwhile both Caitlyn and Knuckles admired if not outright gaped at the cylindrical, metal device which took the entire center of the laboratory.

When Knuckles saw that the hedgehog was not returning at some given time, he looked away from the machine and whispered to the bat, "I told you this was a bad idea."

"I don't think you've had one good thing to say today." Caitlyn snapped as she forced herself not to yell at the echidna.

Knuckles took note of what he had said and about what she had said. Knowing the echidna, this would have been the opportune moment to yell back. Luckily Knuckles was smarter than that.

"Splendid!" The blue hedgehog cried from across the room. As he walked forward he extended both of arms to his guests and walked out of the laboratory with them. "Shall I take you to your rooms?"

"One room is fine." Caitlyn was fast enough to say as she was scooted out.

"Even better." Charles smiled as he eyed his empty hands as if he had lost something.

"We get rooms?" Knuckles asked timidly.

"Why don't you head on down this passageway, I'll catch up." Charles insisted as the two began to walk. The hedgehog closed the door behind him, leaving the two confused.

Concomitantly, as the two reached the other side of the passageway, which was next to a lush garden, a mongoose in mail skidded between Knuckles and Caitlyn accidentally.

"Sorry." She looked back only briefly.

"That's alright." Caitlyn whispered, and as she looked back the way they were going, she noticed the same thing could have occurred again, so she grabbed Knuckles' shoulder to put him out of the way of another coming animal. She was too slow to prevent it and an animal covered in a black cloak bumped into the echidna brusquely.

"Watch it bud." Knuckles said as the animal passed him.

When they reached the end of the hall, Caitlyn stopped and pointed at the garden, "Look." She awed at the statue of the would-be queen and all the different flowers surrounding her. It was a little hard to see since it was still night. "You know," She began, trying to get the attention of the echidna who was off in another world, "It was said that Maximillian was the one that asked Alicia to marry him. Isn't that odd? The male asking the female? I think it's tender. Right?"

Knuckles was still not giving any attention to the bat so she yelled something unintelligible until it caught his interest and said, "Huh?"

"Really?" The white bat gave her lesser half a look of despair and then dejection.

"I'm sorry, do I have to listen to every word you say?!" Knuckles shouted. Perhaps he wasn't smarter than that, or so he then thought after what he had said. "I'm sorry I-"

Caitlyn looked away and Charles finally came to lead them. "Right this way." He said.

The castle was much larger than what it looked from the outside. Charles led them through a few more passageways inside the second circumferential wall. Charles felt the odd vibes the echidna and the bat gave off so he began to talk about what it took to build the castle. When they reached the guest rooms, each was lined up across from each other. Twenty doors going west and another twenty going east. Charles took them to what appeared to be the grand suite of the castle, next to the guest rooms, in an adjacent hallway, which led right of the actual castle.

Charles rattled some keys as he tried opening the door of one of the bigger and better looking rooms. When Knuckles saw how spacious the room was, and the open window and beautiful view that overlooked the Great Forest, he jumped on the bed and made a sound that seemed to sink with and within the bed. Caitlyn, on the other hand stared back at Charles and protested, "We really can't, this is too much."

"Nonsense, think of it as a reward, for… helping." Charles insisted as he closed the door and left.

"But we haven't… done anything." It was no use and Caitlyn trailed off. She glanced back at Knuckles, excited about their trip and the new room. "Charles is uh… different, isn't he?"

Knuckles did not need to look up from the bed, but his answer was muffled, "H-s a w-r-d," was all that was understood by the bat.

"Knuckie." Caitlyn persisted.

At last the echidna lifted his head, "He's a weirdo. He's like Tails, he leaves his head with his machines."

"Hm." The bat sat on the bed and gazed at the view of the forest. "We didn't bring clothes… or anything."

"Relax." Knuckles rolled over on his back, "I'm sure they have all we need here."

She sighed, still staring out the window, "Do you think they'll be alright?"

"Who?" The question made him look at the bat.

"Tails… Cosmo, and the rest of them." The white bat felt a warm breeze enter through the window.

"I didn't know you cared." Knuckles said plainly.

This made the bat look at him furiously, "Of course I care. You're really on one today aren't you?"

As the echidna took off his large gloves, he gazed pensively at his red fingers and stepped lightly towards the window until he met with the stony frame.

"I could get used to this." Caitlyn searched a wardrobe for a nightgown she could put on. "The royal life."

Knuckles ignored her remark, and out of nowhere asked, "Do you ever think about Shadow?" He did not look her way.

But the question did make her look his way as she laid a silky gown on her body. "What do you mean?"

"Did you ever," He tried again, "You know. Have a thing with him?" Knuckles tried his best to sound unbiased and neutral about the subject.

The bat thought about it for a few seconds and answered as she put on the gown, "No." She noticed the echidna was not satisfied with that answer. "I mean, I might have had feelings for him once, but… no."

"I didn't know you felt that way about him." Knuckles muttered angrily as he brought a leg up on the window frame.

"What?" Caitlyn thought she might have misheard him.

"Nothing!" Knuckles roared.

The bat put her hands on her hips, "Really? You're the one that asked."

"Well I regret asking." The echidna came back at her slyly.

"What is with you today?" The bat asked, starting to fume from every orifice.

"Nothing! I'm not the one who still thinks about Shadow!" Knuckles cried. "And you know what? Why don't you just marry him if you're so obsessed?" The echidna took his fit outside and slammed the door behind him.

Caity immediately fell on the bed and began to cry.

Knuckles found himself walking farther and farther away from the castle. The warm air had become frigid with a few spikes of wind hitting him. When he realized the castle gates were closed, heated, he scaled the walls next to the gate and jumped down, all the while muttering inconceivably.

Luckily for him no one was out and about in Thumbnut for him to come across and punch through. When he got to the center of town he stopped at the new fountain. The stone Cosmo was less life-like than the actual thing, but still had the complexion of a young, beautiful girl. She held a flower in her hand and she looked forward, always smiling.

"I bet you don't have this problem with Tails." Knuckles commented sadly. He needed to go back. The thought of leaving Caity that way left a very bad taste in his mouth.

Knuckles turned around as he heard a rustling. "Who's there?" He exclaimed and asked the cold dark. The he heard a splash and he faced the statue. A shadow or two skipped and skidded away from the fountain. Knuckles readied for anything. "Hmph!" He muffled as large cloth was put over his head.


	3. Chapter 2: That One Character That

**Chapter 2**

 **That One Character That Keeps Repeating**

 _Why._

Perhaps there was a better question, but this remark seemed more of just that, a remark, a comment, a statement, an aside. Too long have you feared, too long have you felt nothing but anguish. Fear for future unknown, connections that might have been, things that needed to be said. Anguish for those lost now, and they will never return. Only in our minds can they return, through thoughts and memories. Fair or not, there was nothing she could do now.

Amy Rose, of Knottingham, the remaining heir, might have fared the chapel better if it were other and normal circumstances. She would have seen that the chapel was a beautiful sight to behold, and even where they were, the under-chapel, was decorated to be a more soothing place to walk through and talk. And ask questions or make comments such as the one before. But not today.

She should have remembered how the always old Friar Buck would teach her there in that chapel, and sometimes would show her the under-chapel and explain to her about death. How it was a normal and could be meaningful part of life. How the old kings died the same as the new. But not today.

As she looked back at the man who could not longer look back at her, his lifeless body put in a box, ready to be placed under the ground, she should have known, should have felt his love. But not today.

King Ban, second of his name, was this day pronounced dead to his people. And he could not have looked deader in his box to Amy. Death had once again struck, this time, again, ever closer, and lessening of the Rose family. Amy could have sworn she could see Death there that day, whispering to her, gnawing at the precious soul of her father. She hated death, she hated the Irons, and she hated the Legion. Could she hate herself now? Was there room for that?

Amy still wore her black dress and cloak. Even in a day like that, animals wore bright colors to brighten the mood. It was only natural for that to happen. And yet, Amy could not do so, could not change her old, wrinkly, odor-stricken, clothes. Maybe she thought it was like spitting on her father, as if changing clothes would somehow celebrate his day of death. There was nothing to celebrate on that day. Only how Death had once again taken something from her. And how the Demon was laughing at her misfortunes.

"Why." She said aloud this time. No one could hear, she was alone. Amy did not want to collapse in a fit of anger, she could not bear it. But seeing her dead father, in this dark place, filled with more dead people, it just seemed right. Amy could just as easily hide and die in one of those boxes. Yeah, that seemed appropriate. She could die right next to her father. And that way, she wouldn't have to mourn, or face her mother, or talk to anyone ever again. How easy it seemed and appeared to her just then.

Amy should have remembered how much she was taught in this place. And she was. A dead Friar Buck lay across from King Ban. Oh how she wanted to scream, how much she wished it wasn't real, how much she wanted it to be over.

Amy finally leaned against the fashionable box that her father was in. She pressed her knuckles hard on the wood. It was a fine material, probably made from some rare tree.

"Hi, daddy." She tried to begin. Who was she actually talking to? Was it her father, or was it just the idea of her father. "We should have a ceremony for Lionel and Hector." She said almost plainly without a doubt in her mind and without any remorse. She felt awful about it, but she did not correct herself. "Instead of the small one we did back at Castle Nimue." She began to think to herself, _Daddy, Hector, Lionel, Friar Buck, Mordy._ Had she missed anyone?

Amy walked away but suddenly shifted back and slammed on the wood, "Do you know how much I hate my name?! Ever since I came back home, it's given me nothing but trouble! Amelia this, Amelia that! Some heir!" She gasped loudly trying to comprehend the words of her vocalizations. "Uncle Bors would probably be a better fit, and he's a traitor. He is the closer heir." Amy closed her eyes with regret, feeling great bags under them. "I'm starting to think this isn't actually home, and I left something important behind."

Amy waited for a response. She saw the tan hedgehog- he was a paler tan than he should have been. When Ban did not respond she continued, "What would you say at a time like this?"

She tried impersonating his voice for a moment but went back on the idea, "Amelia. Gods! Amy! Amy… you are my daughter, and I will never love anyone more than you." Amy was surprised at herself, she wasn't half bad. She almost felt as if he was saying those words to her. "Whatever you decide, I know it will be just, because you are a Lancelot Rose, and we Lancelot's go well with roses." She laughed but her smile turned feign. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't a full Rose. She was more Lancelot Percival than Rose. Or perhaps it was the other way around. She didn't mind. She never minded the Percival blood. Even though it gave her terrible tantrums. That side of her family came from her mother, the other side, her father's, -her father more specifically- was more calm. She never saw her father yell, or cry for that matter. For that, she needed to be strong.

Amy choked on her next words, feeling tears form in her eyes, "I will- be strong for you daddy." Every inch of her would not let her cry in front of her father, even if he was passed away. Amy hurriedly left the under-chapel. Stairs took her inside of the actual building. She saw there was still a line of people, waiting to mourn for their king. She left, face down, until she was outside again. Breathing the Knottingham air once more.

With open arms, the Lying Lady, Amy's mother, was waiting for her right outside with a few Deerwood Bandits. Amy quickly hugged her mother and pushed her away, so as to not appear weak in front of those men. Alan Quail was among them, as was Bow Sparrow, (who was almost as famous as the first) Thorn the Lop, Munch Rat, and others. They were just as sad as Amy was, they had not only lost their mentor, but their king. It was strange to think of Friar Buck as anyone else's mentor, other than Amy's.

"I'm ready." Amy simply stated, holding her tears, and putting a blank and hard façade on her appearance.

The cat queen nodded, as did the rest of the Deerwood Bandits.

"We will see you tonight. Lying Lady…" Alan spoke and nodded to both girls. "Amy."

Amy exhaled deeper than she anticipated as she was called the name she most preferred. The four left and the two, mother and daughter, headed for Castle Knottingham.

For some reason or another, Amy did not speak for the longest time. Even though she knew she had buckets of emotions to empty. Not even her mother began the conversation, feeling that if she began she would take away the opportunity from her daughter. Before the two knew it, they passed a few large walls, some corridors and doors. It was odd not saying anything. But the two barricaded themselves in the king and queen's bedroom.

As the Lying Lady took off various ceremonial earrings and other jewelry beside a desk, Amy found herself not being able to move. She began to whimper quietly in the middle of the cold room.

The cat queen began, "When I asked your father to marry me, the first thing he told me was, I hope you know what you are getting into." She smiled warmly, "And then the second was, I hope we have a daughter. You see, your father believed, that…" The queen looked back at the crying hedgehog. "Amy." She swooped to her daughter and squeezed her tightly. Arm to arm, end to end, the embrace of her mother was just the release she needed to break down into large, salty, tears.

"How, do-you do it?" Amy was clear enough to say between gasps.

The white cat hushed her, "I find the time, when you aren't looking. A few tears here and there."

When Amy felt she had cried sufficiently enough, tears still found their way out, but she was able to move again. He mother led them to her bed where they sat together in a cascade of emotions and warm extensions. Amy thought of what she should call her mother. To her, a few months ago she was the Lying Lady. And the word mother simply did not fit at the moment.

"Din-" Amy stopped halfway through her name and remembered how hard it was to say it as a child. "-Din." Both Amy and her mother smiled at the nickname.

The Lying Lady gasped quietly, "You remember."

"Yeah, I couldn't pronounce the whole thing." Amy giggled reservedly.

The two paused again until the Lying Lady broke the silence with a question, "Whatever happened to the music box I gave you?"

Amy sighed disappointingly, and she had just forgotten about that whole ordeal. "I sold it." Amy should have sounded more displeased about it, or even less displeased to allow her mother to know where Amy was coming from, but the remark was left in a void in between the two.

"I see." The mother cat was disappointed but knew how to hide her emotions, "This family has had many hard things to do in the past." She stroked her daughter's quills, "I'm sure it was difficult. Why don't you sleep here with me tonight?" Her mother hoped she hadn't crossed a huge threshold.

"I'm not a child anymore." Amy sounded cold again.

"Right, you'll be sixteen soon." Even with the age, the cat lady knew Amy had been forced to grow up in such little time.

"You leaving was difficult enough." Amy clung to the icy words with great dynamism.

"I know." Her mother gave up. "But I had to do what was best for you."

"Yeah, clearly you know what's best for me." Amy removed herself from the bed away from her mother.

"Amy, we have the kingdom back, and the funeral was today… is that not enough for one day?" Her mother snapped back.

"It will never be enough. Too many people have died." Amy reminded her. "The Legion must pay."

* * *

Merlin, the Lying Lady, Jules, Bernadette, Amy, Espio, Salma, even Alan Quail, Bow Sparrow, Much Rat, and Thorn the Lop met in the large council chamber. It was a separate compartment room in the castle closest to the king's hall.

"Before the Deerwood Bandits drove out the Legion, I found this." Merlin slammed a very shiny and sharp sword on the large, wooden table. "Ban had Mordred Hood keep it here with the Legion, as they did Galatine." Merlin paused, "But I was unable to find Galatine. Dimitri must have taken it to the Irons.

"That must be Sir Lamorak's sword." Amy whispered under her breath as she eyed the very shiny sword.

Some looked at Amy and waited for her to say something. She coughed and added, "The Irons also have Graal. Ban and Mordy confirmed." She herself had brought Arondight and it was currently tied to her belt. Her mother also brought Laevatein.

The Lying Lady also brought her sword down on the table, as a sign of good faith and attention to the wizard. Amy hesitated but did the same. She noticed each sword had a small jewel fashioned somewhere on each of the swords, just like on Arondight.

True, Arondight and Laevatein paled in comparison to Morgause, but Arondight was massive in width, and Laevatein was much thinner- almost resembling a rapier, but not quite.

"You told us, the six shards of Excalibur must be reunited." Jules reminded them and Merlin nodded. "Why?"

The wizard paused again, he knew it was coming, "The Walkers and my trust told me to do so."

Bow Sparrow laughed loudly as others quieted and stopped whispering, "The ancient mobosaurs?" He was a bird dressed in a red cloak and tunic, laced with dark blue.

"And who is this trust?" Munch Rat chuckled. He had a green cap and tunic.

"If you'd let him speak!" Thorn the Lop shouted at the two. She was an eastern rabbit girl, dressed in a mint and purple tunic. At the tips of her long ears could be seen two giant earrings. She looked back at the wizard and smiled as he nodded.

"Aurora and Enerjak. I confide in them as they trust me." Merlin stated.

Both Munch Rat and Bow Sparrow had something to say but Thorn would not let them, as she gave them a wicked look.

"And why is this so important." Alan Quail asked.

Merlin raised his finger as if to say something but he paused yet again, "That I do not know."

Bernie was more positive than most, "If we were to gather these three as we've done, Graal and Galatine, we would still be missing Caliburn."

"Where is Caliburn?" Espio asked.

Merlin shook his head in disappointment, "No one has seen it since King Arthur's death."

"Maybe it's to defeat the Dark One." Amy suggested.

Merlin smiled at the hedgehog girl, "My thoughts exactly. As for the sword, it might be safe to assume that someone in the Legion knows where it is. Perhaps even the Dark One has it."

"How could you possibly know that?" Salma asked.

Merlin raised his finger, "Before Arthur died, he gave his sword to Mordred, his son."

Everyone knew the story of the Demon, yet many in the council did not believe it. Jules was skeptical, "How do we know Mordred is the Dark One?"

"That's irrelevant." Merlin commented. The council could tell the wizard was having trouble remembering and it was all a jumble in his head. "Caliburn is lost, that much we know, but I regret to inform you that… I must leave for Echidnopolis."

Everyone quieted but the queen started, "You can't leave, we need you to help us battle the Irons."

"The queen is right, "Jules began, "Echidnopolis is surrounded by Legionnaires, being led by Doctor Finitevus."

Merlin tried but was interrupted by Bernadette, "A wizard such as you could mean the difference between a close victory, and a sure victory."

"I really must protest." Merlin began to speak but paused of his own accord, thinking of all possible outcomes of the future.

Amy cleared her throat before anyone else could speak, "I have an idea." It was not long before all eyes were on the pink hedgehog. "In the Triumvirate Wars, the Far Easterners were said to have joined in the conflict. Their ships were among the fastest." Amy was proud to have paid attention to her lessons so long ago, as was her mother. "If we can talk to Yu-Long-Hai, I might be able to convince him to join us." Amy was not fully confident she could, but she had to try.

Munch Rat shook his head and said, "Yu-Long-Hai, is nothing but a thug. I am not confident you will be so successful. Besides, you might have your head and a few limbs get sent back in a box."

"We were mere thugs once." Thorn added, "That doesn't mean they won't help us."

"I wouldn't be so certain of that either Munch." The cat queen commenced, "We were once close allies. The only reason they left was because of the Legion- they hate them as much as we do." The cat lady turned to her daughter, "You have my support. We can spare a few men."

Alan Quail intervened, "Knowing the Dragons, I think it would be best not to send troops. We would be testing the fragile strings that once tied us to them as is." He had his feet on the table and began to tune his guitar.

"I agree. I can go alone." Amy stated.

The Lying Lady gave her daughter a look of discomfort and Espio offered, "I can go with you Amy. I was once in the Dragon-Shinobi Clan, I'm sure I can help in some way."

"I'll go too." Salma furthered in volunteering herself.

"Alright…" Amy hesitated, "When do we set sail?"

"That's why we are here." The cat queen uttered. "We've spent all the time we had, I believe it's now or never. Alan, give me an estimation on how soon we can leave."

The quail vacillated, "The bandits and the Knottingham army and guard are ready. The supplies are on the ships… I'd say… twelve hours. Assuming of course that we've already briefed the captains, which we haven't."

"See if you can cut that down to eight." The Lying Lady stated.

"We'll start right away." All leaders of the Deerwood Bandits left the large council chamber in a hurry.

"Does that give you enough time?" The cat queen asked her daughter, and Amy nodded. "Merlin?"

The old fox looked as if he was miles away and responded, "I don't like the idea. I need to make preparations first." He sighed heavily. "I… will be joining you."

"Good. Amy." The cat lady directed to her daughter, "Follow the Long Sea north. Yu-Long-Hai keeps to himself there, not far from Knottingham."

"Right." Amy said as her mother stopped her before she could go.

"I do have to warn you," Her mother started, "Yu-Long-Hai is a villain. He's called the Dragon of the Sea for a reason."

"I got it." Amy snapped but before she could prove anything else she left with Espio and Salma, as well in a hurry.

Jules waited for Amy to leave before he said, "I could go with her my queen, if you but command it."

The Lying Lady shook her head, "I have complete confidence in my daughter."

* * *

"Thinking about it now… Obasi could be anywhere. It looks like my plan could have used more thinking." Amy refused to believe anything could stand in her way of getting revenge from the Legion. But the hedgehog and two chameleons stood still, thinking, overlooking the Dragon's hideout. Which wasn't much of a hideout since it was very lit and so close to the coast. But it was monstrous in size, and it lacked much organization in the sense of a normal-looking building.

* * *

"We'll think of something." Espio supported the hedgehog and she smiled back.

The Dragon of the Sea sat patiently, on a high throne of sorts built from ship parts. The innards of the hideout were brightly lit by huge candles and torches all around. A few women fish stood beside him, giggling. The fish waited for a chameleon to finish whispering something to him. When he did finish, the chameleon bowed respectfully and left the presence of the great Dragon.

The Dragon fish masked himself with an old Shinobi mask. It marked the man as a skilled warrior, with all its blacks and whites.

Many different aromas and perfumes surrounded all of the chameleons and fishes, all servants, captains of sorts, traders, merchants, even beggars and all kinds of thugs and thieves. The Dragon enjoyed the fresh aroma that replaced old masters, and old memories.

"Bring them in." The Dragon commanded. As he did the two giant-bamboo doors of his throne room opened with a large creaking sound. In came a pink hedgehog, and two purple chameleons.

"Bow before the Dragon!" A large shark with scars all around his head shouted and spat at the three as they were brought in.

"There is not need for that." The Dragon quieted the shark. "I am to understand that you are the lost princess of Knottingham, is this correct?"

"It is." Amy reassured.

The Dragon stepped down and got closer to the three. Espio shifted his weight uncomfortably, seeing the Shinobi mask put some form of fear in him. It could be seen, that the Dragon also had three large claws poking from his wrist- a fist weapon.

The Dragon continued, "The Dragons and Knottingham have not had the best history-"

Amy interrupted, "I can assure you, the Legion is no longer a part of Knottingham." She realized what she had done and apologized.

"So I've heard." The Dragon motioned for another fish and he came quickly to disarm him. When he took off the fist weapon he then proceeded to take off all other bamboo armor on his body. But the Dragon kept his mask. He spun violently around to see the three again, "Why are you here, oh princess of Knottingham?"

"The Legion is working with the Irons." Amy explained and waited for that comment to settle.

The Dragon did not seem to notice and he hurriedly skipped up all the way to his thrown and sat. He yelled something to his mistresses in the language of the Far Easterners and they left speedily. "Who are they?" He pointed at the Salma and Espio.

Amy looked over at the two, "They are here to make sure nothing happens to me. Someone like you must understand that."

The Dragon took no offense, and yet no one could tell behind his mask. He chuckled, "You know the Far Easterners have ties with the Irons. Trade routes, treaties, money!"

"But I also know you hate the Legion, just as much as we do." Amy retorted. "I came to ask for help, from the great Yu-Long-Hai." She pointed at the Dragon.

"And what do you think I can offer you? Hm?" The Dragon spat back, "You want me to risk the lives of my people? You want me to break ties with the Irons, and risk total annihilation from them? All I ask is why? Why when we have everything to lose?"

"But that's the reason why, because you have so much to lose." Amy started, "The Irons will invade the West, the South, but they won't stop there. They will take back Knottingham and they will take the Far Easterners."

"Rumors, this is what the princess gives me? No, this is little girl, this is what I see." The Dragon laughed as others around laughed and made fun as well.

Amy smiled behind her façade and Espio looked her over and said, "This does not bode well."

The hedgehog dismissed him with a wave of her hand and started, "You may not have trusted King Ban, and I understand why. He worked for the Legion for many years. But he knew, if he was close to them he could find their weakness. And he has." Many fish and chameleons and sharks murmured amongst each other.

"And what might that be?" The Dragon asked, still not believing much of Amy's story.

Amy unsheathed Arondight, and its red jewel shined brightly as she raised it. "We not only have Lancelot's sword, but we have Morgause and Laevatein as well."

The Dragon knew well of the legendary swords of power. He had never actually seen any of them, but even the thieves around the gasped in awe.

"Bach! A sword? What can a little girl with a little sword do exactly?" The Dragon snickered.

Amy pointed the sword towards the Dragon as he now shifted uncomfortably. Amy hoped he would not catch her bluff, "I did not come here to show you Arondight's power." She set the sword down, point to the ground as she knelt. "I came to ally with you and the Far Easterners."

The Dragon quieted and thought about her request for a moment.

When Amy realized the Dragon was not going to say anything she got up and started again, worried her plan was not going to work, "Don't you see? If we don't do something now, there will be no more seas for you to travel and sell in. If the Irons take over, everyone will die. You and I know who is really behind this ploy. The Dark One takes no prisoners." Everyone but the Dragon shivered where they were.

The Dragon stood still, as did Amy. She thought whether or not her short speech stuck.

The fish proceeded to open a small, wooden compartment, hidden inside of his armrest. He took out a small object with a cloth covering it. "Yu-Long-Hai made a deal with the Irons, a very long time ago." The Dragon started, "Jun Kun promised us freedom throughout the Long Sea." The masked man sighed as if something weighed heavily on his mind. "He prohibited us from leaving the Long Sea. We were to never return to the Far East." The fish held the object in his hand- it was precious to him as was his title.

Amy was glad the Dragon was telling her this. She knew that she had gotten to him long ago. Espio looked at the princess nervously and back at the masked man. Salma did the same.

The Dragon continued, "Ever since I was a small boy, I was told the same story. And I vowed to save every Libram, every gold coin until I one day would be Yu-Long-Hai. And as the Dragon of the Sea, I have sworn to bring my people to a better future, to see our beloved home once more."

Amy nodded gracefully as she paid close attention to the fish's story.

He directed to everyone in the hideout, "This dream I had, could not have been possible without this." He showed everyone the small trinket as he took off the cloth. It was a golden box. "Without the princess, I would still be a simple fisher."

Both chameleons stared at Amy in confusion.

Obasi took off his mask and bowed before the princess. "Yu-Long-Hai, is in her debt. As are all Easterners!" At that, captains, thieves, beggars alike bowed before Amy, the princess of Knottingham. Obasi got up and handed Amy her music box back. She gladly took it and thanked the old goby fish.

"Thank you, Obasi. Then we can count on you?" Amy asked as she held the box tightly.

Obasi looked around, raised a fist and yelled, "We leave at sundown on the morrow!" All thieves shouted in agreement. "We take back our right as Easterners!"

"Let's hope they aren't too late." Amy whispered to Espio.

* * *

Aster was once again caught coughing. Charmy noticed what he coughed up wasn't blood, it was just black. Thick, blackness.

"I believe…" Another cough, "it was right here." Aster pointed through more tall grass.

Both Charmy and Saffron felt uncomfortable about the entire thing. Saffron pushed the tall grass out of the way and found a small creature on its side. Charmy looked at the poor thing, it was breathing rapidly. Charmy felt another sting on his temple. He clung to Saffron, almost slipping in the process.

"What is it?" Saffron asked, nervous about Charmy's health.

"It's nothing." Charmy snapped. "Look." He pointed at the creature's body. There was a trail of red coming down it. Charmy touched it. "That's not blood." The two heard Aster cough again behind them. They looked back and then looked at each other.

"I've seen it, the other men have it too." Saffron explained.

"A virus?" Charmy offered.

"When you were here…" Saffron tried.

Charmy shook his head, "I've never seen this in my life."

"Maybe we should head back." Saffron said.

Charmy thought about it. Suddenly he was confused, and he expressed the look on his face. He turned to Aster, "Why did you bring us here?"

Aster looked at the boy-bee, "Your majesty?"

"I mean, why the urgency?" Charmy asked.

Before Aster could explain himself, he was stopped mid-sentence. The three heard yells and even screams. It was their platoon.


	4. Chapter 3: Amy Takes Back

**Chapter 3**

 **Amy Takes Back**

Amy looked at her castle, her kingdom from afar and yet so close. She beheld its might and glory from the coast. She returned to her territory on horseback, alone. Every gallop was enough for Amy to check the box, again and again. _Still there,_ she thought. Along the way she passed through a small town, where she saw, a market, wagons, horses, running children. It all but reminded her of her mission. How important it was now, more than ever. And if she were to fail, those good people would perish. She had that duty to fulfill for her people. Many Knottinghamites recognized her as she entered the castle walls. She smiled at all of them and waved.

"Princess Amelia!"

"Look, that's the lost princess."

She was now more noticeable than ever, and the pink skin helped with that. As she arrived at Castle Knottingham's portcullis she was greeted by a few knights who helped her down and calmed her horse. The knights escorted her through the castle and she stopped abruptly, noticing the moat in the middle of the portcullis. She looked around. How magical her kingdom was, and she thought she was taking it for granted.

"Is something wrong princess?" One of the knights asked.

Amy ignored the knight and rushed inside the castle. "Is my mother at the docks?"

"Not yet my lady, she asked that you meet her in the castle, before you left." The knight answered.

Amy found her mother in her bedroom again and closed the door behind her. She breathed rapidly and heavily, catching her breath. "We have the support of Yu-Long-Hai."

The cat queen smiled, "I did not doubt you for one second." Amy noticed her mother was already dressed in mail. Laevatein was on her bed. The Lying lady observed that her daughter was motioning for something in her pocket. Amy did not pull it out, instead walked nervously around her mother and sat on the giant bed. "He would not have said yes to me."

"This wasn't the Yu-Long-Hai you knew." Amy sighed and slammed her head on the lush blankets. She could relax even though, in the back of her mind, she knew she would soon have to leave to make war.

"He passed?" The cat lady asked.

Amy nodded, "Apparently. I met him a year ago. He was the one I gave the box to."

The cat lady raised her eyebrow pensively, "My music box?" She saw Amy was nodding. "And where are Espio and Salma?"

Amy closed her eyes and responded, "They stayed with Obasi. They will leave at sundown tomorrow."

The cat queen was not so sure, "Are you certain?"

"If I learned anything with Friar Buck, it's that the Easterners are punctual." Amy told her mother.

"I hope they are fast enough." The Lying Lady expressed the same concern her daughter had. The room stayed quiet and the queen fiddled with her long sword. She cleaned it thoroughly and placed it in its scabbard.

As the tip of the sword hit the end of the leather, Amy was suddenly brought out of her daydream quickly. She suddenly asked, "Why did you leave?"

Surprised, the queen sat next to her daughter, "Where did that come from?"

"Never mind, forget I asked." Amy pushed her body aside, away from the cat.

The queen began, feeling a tightness in her chest, "Ban anticipated the Iron's invasion. You know, the Lancelot's always marry the Rose's. When your father and I married, I received death threats. And they all came from the Legion. One day, they sent an assassin. He broke in through your room."

Amy opened her eyes again and realized the severity and meaning of her mother's leaving.

The cat lady carried on, "I could not let you be in that sort of danger again. Your father was smart enough to send me away. But it wasn't just for me and you." She clung to her sword. "You see, the Legion wanted Laevatein."

Amy turned her body, facing the cat. "I didn't realize that."

"I know it wasn't fair to you Amy. But I had to keep you safe." The cat explained.

Amy picked herself up and grabbed the golden box. She presented it to her mother.

Surprised again, her mother took it, "You got it back?"

Amy nodded, "I'm sorry I sold it." She held her arm in pain, wanting to cry again but not finding the tears this time. "It's yours, I really shouldn't have kept it."

The cat threw the box on the bed and clung to Amy as her daughter clung back. "That doesn't matter to me, only you Amy. Never forget that."

The pink hedgehog felt wetness form in her eyes as she said, "I'm sorry I've been so mad at you. I didn't really know why… but now I know the truth. It wasn't fair of me to do that to you."

Her mother shook her head, "It doesn't matter now." She let her go.

This time Amy clung to Arondight, "I hate them for what they did to father. I swear I'll see the Irons dead. I'll kill Dimitri myself if I have to."

The cat breathed heavily, "I life spent in revenge is a life not worth living." She sighed, "But we will do what is necessary."

The two seemed too proud and too scared to admit to anything if something was to happen to them in the coming war.

* * *

It was one hour, maybe two- that the queen and her daughter had napped. Only Amy could not seem to even close her eyes, but she laid restless yet unmoved next her mother. She would eye the darkening window, then the nightstand next to her, then her bed, then the window again. She made a habit of it for an hour. It would soon be time to depart. She thought she should wake her mother but it did not feel right. She wanted this to be her life. Not a life of war. Her mother was right. A life lived with nothing but revenge was not a life at all.

She nodded off for a moment and automatically grabbed at her necklace. From the time she had left the west, many of the seashells had either broken or fallen. There only remained a few on the weakening string. But she always ended up fingering the largest and strongest seashell. For everything she had done and been through, that was the one that held up and did not shatter.

Amy could still hear him say her name. _Amy,_ he would say. The pink hedgehog shook her head. It was painful but less excruciating now to think about him. _What would he say now, if he saw me?_ Amy thought once more but found herself shaking her head more frivolously. Thinking it was all for naught, and all a daydream.

"If he really loved me…" Amy whispered to herself silently. She hated him and herself all over again. This mindless game she was playing was not healthy and she identified it as that.

"Did you say something?" Her mother asked.

Amy looked around, the cat lady was already dressed and out of bed. She was stealthier than Amy remembered.

"No." Amy turned back around.

"I didn't wake you did I?" Her mother asked.

"No."

The cat lady grabbed her scabbard, "We leave in one hour." The Lying Lady didn't make a sound as she left and closed the door.

Amy checked again to see if she really was alone. She sunk in the bed deeply. If it really came to it, could she take a life? She thought about the bull that had attacked her. That seemed like almost a lifetime ago. She had been so certain of it all until now. Now, it all seemed wrong, as if she was doing this for the wrong reasons. But there could be no doubt in her mind now, she needed to be ready.

The hedgehog got up once more on the side of the bed, her feet dangled. She grabbed her pink feet, the color had not reached all the way down, and so it seemed as if her pink foot was splattered with tanned dots. She massaged both aching feet.

"You would think one would get used to that." Amy spoke to herself as she got dressed. Fiddling with her boots she noticed the red had smeared away, making them look gray. _At least the black and gray match,_ she thought.

A light suddenly lit in the complexion of the young hedgehog. She had decided it was enough. That from that moment on she would be free. Free from anxiety, from worry, from the idea that someone could be placed so deeply in one's skull that it displayed openly and even in everyday trinkets and objects. She of course was referring to her seashell necklace. She carefully undid the knot that held the fragile string together and held it in her hand. She was resolute, yet she could not help but stare at the small thing before her, in her palm. How silly it looked now to her.

"I don't… need you anymore, to be happy." Amy smiled. All weight of distant anxieties, close fretfulness and subconscious sorrows immediately left the pink hedgehog. She could almost feel as if she was floating from such a release. For once, thoughts of a blue hedgehog did not flood her mind.

Amy Rose was her own person now. And she loved every moment of it. She even had the small glimmer and chance to look at herself through a mirror. She certainly was not the same hedgehog that left the west. More details of a personified hedgehog could be seen all around her. She was taller, she was thinner- although that part wasn't her fault-, she had acquired strength in places she never knew she had. Her pink quills reached a little below her shoulders now. And she saw what was a small tuft of red hair growing on her forehead.

"Early bloomer." Amy studied the tuft and brushed it aside. She did indeed see a growing woman in the mirror, but a woman nonetheless.

As for the necklace, she knew exactly what she was going to do with it. She strapped on her sword, took a deep breath and headed outside.

Along the many corridors of the castle she was momentarily stopped by two familiar hedgehogs talking in a blooming garden. Jules and Bernie both sensed her presence and Amy looked around, abashed that she had interrupted their heated discussion.

"Amy." Jules smiled warmly towards the princess.

"Is everything alright?" Amy glanced over to Bernadette and smiled. Bernie returned the smile gracefully.

"Yes." Jules lied. It could clearly be seen that his wife was not so convinced of that.

"It's about Sonic, isn't it?" Amy asked without thinking. Bernie looked at her longingly. Before any of them could respond Amy interjected, "I'm sorry, that isn't my place."

"No, it's quite alright dear." Bernie exclaimed, hoping Amy wouldn't leave. "We wanted to speak with you."

Amy looked at the two confused. "Me?"

Jules nodded, "Yes, we thought you might like to know."

"Know what?" Amy asked, already getting the feeling that she knew the answer to that.

"We're just worried about him, that's all." Bernie looked as if she had more to say but stopped herself.

Jules looked like he was hiding something, "The queen has asked us to be on the Iron defensive… on a separate ship, protecting the flagship's rear."

"And Jules has been telling me how skilled with a sword you are." Bernie looked at Amy with hope again but kept stopping herself.

Amy understood what they meant and nodded, "Sonic will be the first person I look for on the battlefield. I won't let anything happen to him."

Both parent hedgehogs sighed deeply and thanked Amy silently.

Amy blushed, "What did you want me to know exactly?"

Jules opened his mouth and paused, "You can ask him when we see him again."

Amy blushed deeper than before, this time showing one dimple on her cheek, "I know how I used to behave around him is… well it's embarrassing. I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I did act around him. And if I caused any of you any grief I am sorry."

Both parents shook their heads and Jules responded, "No grief at all."

"We were simply happy that he at least had _someone_." Bernadette giggled, got up and grabbed onto Amy's arm. "Now that I think about it, I would love a few pink grandchildren."

Amy's hair seemed to shoot up and she could not explain how it would be improbable that they would come out pink. She blushed redder and hotter than before and tried to explain, "Sonic never once responded the way I wanted him to, to my advances. And I admit I was obsessive but… I do love him. I just think it would be best if I let him be. After all… you can't make someone love you back." Amy was surprised at her own words.

"That's very mature of you Amy." Bernie explained.

"If you ever need anything, you can count on us." Jules offered, remaining hopeful that the coming war would not take any of the three.

" _Anything._ " Bernie emphasized.

"Leave her alone dear." Jules chuckled and took her wife away from the blushing hedgehog.

As she was taken away, Amy stood silently for a moment but continued behind the two, heading for the docks. Nearing the Knottingham fleet, she could hear the loud and sharp voice of her mother. She stood above Knottingham's flagship, the finest in the fleet.

"We once called the Acorns our brothers, do not mistake the Iron's invasion of the west as a simple pilgrimage. Once they are done with the Acorns, their eyes will be set on Knottingham! Humble Knottinghamites, think of the children your children may have one day. That will not be possible if we fail! Rise up! For glory and family! The Irons have been on this earth for far too long. It is time to fight against the evils of Dimitri and extinguish the fires of the Dark One once and for all! It is time to make all peoples free. All of them! To arms brothers! To arms sisters!" The cat queen raised Laevatein high in the sky and all Knottinghamites that could see and hear her yelled huzzah's and hurrah's. Amy was among them who did so as well. She, at that moment, was incredibly proud to be the daughter of King Ban, and to be a Rose.

The pink hedgehog looked at her mother and she stared back, both of them had proud tears in their eyes. Amy got her chance this time and walked around the multitude of people getting on the ships. When the coast was relatively clear, she crouched, dug a small hole in the dirt, staining her already stained gloves, and dropped the necklace inside.

Amy could breath more deeply again. She stood by as a passive observer, looking at all the different animals getting on board. Some were scared, others were talking about the speech their queen had given. Some even whispered "princess" as they passed by her, certainly out of respect for her.

"This is it." Amy said to herself. She tried memorizing the sight of all her people and the fresh air of that darkening afternoon. The shrill yells of the crew of the Knottingham flagship and the taste of her magical kingdom in the air. It still was magical to her, and she wondered if this was the last time she was ever going to see it again.

She eyed Arondight, its red jewel shined brightly towards her. She wondered if her ancestor Lancelot felt what Amy felt then. Had Arondight seen the horrors Amy was sure to face on her journey? Had it known what it felt to lose a father, possibly lose another home, and even lose its life?

For how massive, how important, how sharp and powerful Arondight was, it did not answer the pink hedgehog. It only dangled on her belt, wondering, longing if it was going to be used soon.

Amy looked back at her monstrous castle and spoke silently to herself, "Goodbye daddy. Long live the memory of King Ban, of Knottingham."

Amy boarded the Knottingham flagship with her mother the queen.


	5. Chapter 4: All Under The Banner Of

**Chapter 4**

 **All Under The Banner Of Grigori**

An open mouth might have looked worse. But even Max's closed mouth presented the inner masseter revealing small bone in that area, there was no risorius or buccinator, or even labii inferioris and anguli oris. What skin was there was a small mentalis dangling below his lower lip- and even that was halfway missing. A chipped lip and a missing cheek might have been the least of Max's problem on the voyage. The constant whistle of the wind between his open check and teeth irritated him greatly. He had found a piece of cloth which he covered his whole mouth with, but even with that, the wind still managed to make his teeth feel icy and frigid.

"Consarnit." Max muffled within his rag. He held his hand to his cheek, but even that made his cheek sting. The old chipmunk studied the waves they were traversing in and then he looked back at his daughter. She was looking out into the waves as well with a spyglass near where Mrs. Helmswoman was steering. Max also noticed Sonic as he emerged from below. The blue hedgehog looked at Sally briefly but shook his head and leaned against the gangway and heaved his guts overboard.

Max chuckled indifferently. Even he was used to the open sea. But then it surprised him that someone like Sonic was not.

"What are you laughing at?" Sonic asked wiping away bile from his lips. He had gotten closer to the old king which also surprised him.

Max looked at the hedgehog sternly but softened his gaze as the hedgehog leaned against the gangway again. Max pointed at his cloth, "We both have our challenge."

Sonic blurted a chortle, "I would hardly call that a challenge." He pointed at the cloth as well.

Max took of the bandage and immediately his mouth whistled with the wind making the chipmunk wince greatly and painfully, so he put it back.

Sonic made a face, "I didn't need to see that."

For all the unpleasantness, Max was grateful that someone, anyone, even Sonic had spoken to him. He wasn't exactly welcome on the ship, even though Sally had exonerated Max of all past crimes. Sonic looked back at the queen, but quickly saw the see again. "I've been overhearing a new phrase of late." Max shivered in the cold wind. "Mad Queen." He enunciated.

Sonic stared back at the old king as if he was offended. "You know that's-"

"Preposterous, I know. And yet the people whisper and murmur." Max could hardly be heard over his bandage.

"Why are you telling me this?" Sonic asked.

Max shrugged, "I've had time to just listen. As a matter of fact that's all I've been doing for years."

Sonic sniffed, "Yeah well, you probably should have stayed there."

"And yet here I am." Max looked out at the wavering sea. Sonic gave another distasteful glance at the old chipmunk. Sonic glanced once again at Sally. "Is she being difficult?"

Sonic shook his head and brusquely looked around at Max, "What? Who?"

The chipmunk pointed at his daughter with his eyes. This made Sonic uncomfortable as the king referred to Sally. "I don't blame her." Max started, "She's been through so much. I will admit that is partly my fault… well, mostly."

"Can we not talk about Sally?" Sonic stated.

"Of course." Max replied softly.

"Before, "Sonic began, "You said you fought Jun Kun right?"

Max nodded, "His might and iron hammer were unparalleled. A skilled warrior, but only that- a warrior. It was heard that he befell the same sickness I had, and the one Lionel and his son had back in Knottingham. He was not heard of for years. Until one day, the rumors stopped and it was said that he recovered and still rules to this day." Max shook his head, "That's what's pigswallow. No one recovers from the Dark Plague."

Sonic looked at the kings arm, "Except for you."

Max grabbed at his still pained arm and said, "Except for me. Robert was next in line to be king, but it seemed the Legion had other plans."

"So it's true… you worked for the Legion." Sonic said plainly.

Max smirked, "The Dark One also had other plans for me. He developed the Dark Plague, but the Legion… perfected it. It's true. I didn't pardon Ban for his war crimes… I joined him. He and I worked closely under the Grandmaster at the time which was Dimitri, even under Mephiles himself."

Both the hedgehog and the chipmunk paused for a moment until Max continued, "He, he promised us everything. Better lives, a better more unified kingdom. A world without the Irons. He gave Ban Knottingham, and he gave me Acorn. But…" Max looked sadder than ever, "It all came with a price. A price I was willing to part with at the time." He grabbed at his arm more fiercely that time. "And even with a whole kingdom, a legendary sword, a powerful ally- he would not let the Irons die. It seemed it was in his best interest that they lived and we also, lived on."

"Why did you do it?" Sonic asked.

Max shrugged, "I don't know. Dimitri was supposed to be the last of our assignments. I remember that day like any other. I even took Merlin to check if his chaos essence was gone or whatever in hells that old fox calls it. Caliburn… it was so right, and it fell so swiftly. We buried his body and his head in separate graves. We didn't know Mephiles had the power to bring back life from the dead. I'm sure it was even the first time it was done too. But why bring him back I wonder? Why go through all the trouble?"

Sonic paused and thought but then said, "That's not what I meant."

Max was caught off guard, "Oh." He contemplated explaining the entire ordeal to the hedgehog. "There are no excuses, there is no absolving me. I murdered them."

Sonic regretted asking and even part of Max regretted answering. The hedgehog raised his hand, "You don't have to."

"No, I will." Max said, "But if I didn't I would have lost what means the most to me in this world, and surely, if I had lost her that day, I would have lost the kingdom too."

Both men contemplated their not so deserved titles. Each had the disposition of leadership, but they cared little for it at the moment. The rocking of the giant flagship made Sonic's head spin again and he prepared to heave away again over the wooden railing. The sickly blue hedgehog raised a finger and spoke once more to the old king, "There's just one thing I don't understand. Why all the hassle? I mean, there must have been a reason… but what is it all for?"

Max looked as if he did not want to answer but did so anyway, "Believe me son, I've thought about that same thing for years. Trust me I know the Dark One, he is vile, witty and a snake. But most of all he is very intelligent."

Suddenly and unexpectedly, there was a sudden wave of pain that both men felt. Sonic rubbed his head in agony. Max looked out to the open sea, it had begun to fog. Before Sonic could leave Max stopped him and said, "Don't underestimate him, he has had centuries to plan this very moment."

"And what moment is that?" Sonic stared at the chipmunk's stopping hand but was too preoccupied with his straining head.

"The End War." Max said decisively. "The end of all wars."

"So? This isn't the first time I've heard that." Sonic responded, feeling irritated at the old chipmunk.

"You don't understand," Max finally said, "Not like this. _This_ will unite all nations under one banner."

"Whose banner?" Sonic wanted to give up all this that seemed like speculation to him.

"I don't know." Max spoke clutching at his head.

"How could he possibly know that?" Sonic asked irritatingly.

But before Max could respond, there was the shrill sound of a bell being rung from a few yards away from them.

"Battle stations!" They could hear the helmswoman scream. "The lot of you get ready!"

All manner of animals scurried throughout the ship, scurrying with different weapons and swords at the ready. Both Max and Sonic approached the queen. They wanted to ask what was wrong, but beyond, their answer was given. It was a large ship a few leagues away in their way, in the mist, it was stationary.

* * *

"There's nothing here!" Saffron yelled through tall grass as she found no one.

"The entire platoon…" Charmy whispered as he too despaired alongside his wife.

"We don't know that for sure." Aster quickly tried to dissuade his king and queen of losing hope. He caught himself slowing down behind them and coughing once more. He had begun to shake violently from time to time but he made sure the two could not see that happen. "Don't forget we have the entire Golden Armada waiting for us a few leagues behind."

Saffron found herself halfway laughing and the other half crying. She began to walk away slowly with her hand to her mouth. Charmy caught up, pushing grass away from his head and said, "Saff."

"What?" The girl-bee said absentmindedly, still not knowing where she was walking to.

"Why don't we search this way?" Aster quickly said as he treaded off a little ways away from the king and Queen-Bee. There came another wave, sending chills into both Charmy and Saffron. Charmy almost forgot where he was. The girl-bee stood silent as the moment filled her with dread but not knowing why.

"Where am I?" Saffron tried closing her eyes, but to her surprise that did not help.

"Saff?" Charmy asked. Worriedly he set his hand on the girl's shoulder.

She looked at him with both confusion and bewilderment, "I'm fine." She shook her head from the feeling.

"Why don't we go that way?" Charmy offered as he pointed in the way Aster had gone.

"Charmy, I don't think this is a good idea." Saffron almost muttered. Fearing she hadn't been clear or ever heard, she spoke louder, "We should go back."

"Back?" Charmy turned his entire body to face her, "Back to the Golden Hive? Why? We're so close!" He also felt his body shake involuntarily.

"This isn't right." She said, looking up at the light in the sky, it was being covered by many gray clouds.

The two felt the wind start to pick up. The once friendly lands of the west turned crisp and alien to Charmy. He should have felt more at home traveling back, but home had been rejecting him. But it did not want that, instead, home would keep him if it had the chance. Home had grown restless since he left, and it would do anything to take him and all others back.

The ground beneath them seemed to rumble, and yet no earth had moved. The tall grass seemed to shake with their presence, and yet it remained. The sky shattered above them, building with tears. The sun disappeared, scared of what was to come, or rather, what had come and made itself nicely at home. The wind howled, agreeing with the horror and panic of the two bees.

"Let's at least find the rest of the armada." Charmy explained but his other half would not take.

"And then what?" She asked shaking her head again and again. "Are we just going to be magically alright?" Saffron was not making much sense, but neither was it right in the boy's mind.

"Just calm down will ya'?" Charmy snapped at her, following wherever Aster ended up and leaving Saffron behind. She was spooked to be alone at last so she dispersed the tall grass in front of her. She looked up, quickly frightened at the sound of thunder.

The thunder itself seemed far away, but with every sudden light in the horizon came the monstrous crackle, ever closing in on the three. The western lands were in a ruckus all around. Tremors could be felt farther west, and it had begun to rain farther north.

"Aster!" Charmy whispered loudly to the Lieutenant as he was hit across the face by the grass.

"Charmy!" Saffron also whispered loudly a few feet away from the bee, but she was not heard. She had lost his tracks and was veering off course. Something rapidly stirred from within the grass next to her. She spun around and stopped, holding her breath. A watchful glare had noticed her and had begun to stalk. However, she could not see her stalker but she certainly felt it. "Charmy!" She tried again.

"Aster?" Charmy got through the grass and was now overlooking a small edge where a brook was. The boy suspected there to be more wildlife, animals, bugs, insects, anything. Other than Saffron, he was the only life in leagues and leagues.

Closing his eyes in pain, Charmy felt a large sting on his lower back and fell right into the pond. He shrieked in pain as he caught himself with his hand and knees on the hard stones in the water. He sprung back but found that his armor weighed a lot more than he did so he fell again, his back dunked inside the pond sending shrill screams of cold in his body. He grabbed for his sword, nothing. He looked around in the pond, "Where?!" He asked exasperated.

"Join us." There came the sound of something unfamiliar, and yet, it sounded like Aster. Charmy looked around but he could not see him.

"Show yourself!" Charmy yelled picking himself up from the water. Droplets trickled away from his armor and fell back where they started.

"Do you think it wise to incur our wrath?" There was the sound again, from afar and also seemed as a whisper.

The boy heard a scream from a distance and he looked that way, "Saffron!" Just then he felt another pain, this time in his leg, and also a shriek. His right leg dunked into the water, his left trying to support his weight. Charmy clenched his teeth and grabbed at his leg. He saw behind it was his sword, sticking through his mail and into his calf. "Where are you?" He whispered but all his attention went to his leg. He poked at the hilt of his sword and a new wave of distress was sent into the sword and through his entire body making him wail and grunt in ache.

"Join us." The voice repeated, "And become one."

Charmy grabbed at the hilt, shrieking lightly but breathing heavily. He purposefully controlled his breaths and began hyperventilating, imagining himself pulling the sword free. One tug. It was not enough, but it sent him on his back again to the cold brook. "Okay, I can do this." Charmy breathed rapidly again. Another tug. This time the sword was moved but still lodged in his leg. Charmy screamed and could be heard by many. "Here we go." A sharper and quicker pull got the sword out, but it did more damage than he wanted. As he yelled in the brook, eyes all around stared back at the bee.

Charmy looked up, putting pressure on his calf with one hand. He could see them now, the eyes looking back. He grunted as he climbed out of the brook with his good leg. "Saffron!" Charmy stopped on the ground. He saw feet next to him. As he looked up he panicked in his heart. It was Aster, covered in a black substance. It clung to him on his chest and oozed about and away from him. He had his hand extended to Charmy.

Aster spoke, "Join us. Be free from this prison."

"Get away from me!" Charmy pushed away the hand and he trotted away as best as he could.

"Then let me help you oh King-Bee!" Aster yelled as he raised his sword.

"Charmy!"

"Saffron?" Charmy looked back at his wife. She had stuck her own sword inside Aster who was now looking at her in confusion.

Charmy waved for her to get closer to him. As she did he held her and asked if she was alright.

"What is going on?!" Saffron yelled.

Before Charmy could respond, Aster reacted first and held the sword stuck through his belly. "Is this what you have chosen? This is not wise." Aster pulled the sword away from him, making his hands bleed from the sharp steel. He held the sword upright again and pointed it at them. "This is your last chance. Join us, or delay the inevitable."

All three of them stopped. The stalking eye looked from within the grass. This truly was his last chance. It waited for a response.

"You're out of your mind." Charmy spat and he motioned for Saffron. And the two ran through the grass.

Both Aster and the eye spoke the same, at once, "Then you have chosen to delay."


	6. Chapter 5: Arondight, Much Like Caliburn

**Chapter 5**

 **Arondight, Much Like Caliburn**

Knottingham's flagship was surrounded by many ships, one ship, led by Bernadette and Jules followed close by in the rear. The winds howled, it should have been helping them travel west, but it had begun to spit from the north. An unnatural current was pushing the ships south, but the queen made sure they kept at a speedy pace due west.

The crews should have been more fearful of the dangers of the Long Sea, but the war beyond preoccupied them, making them forget, making them absentminded. Even the cat lady seemed inattentive at the task at hand. Distracted as she was, everything continued, nothing stopped. And much of Knottingham looked to the west, not knowing what lay before them.

Amy closed her eyes where she was, leaning on the gangway. Even within her closed eyelids, many thoughts ran past her, nothing in particular. But it made her eyes go wild and shaky. She heard something soothing. Automatically her hand traveled down her waist and she lay her hand on top of Arondight. She tapped her scabbard, unknowingly making a short and low beat.

She heard the voice again. This time she could smell and taste the petrichor in the air. She much enjoyed the coming rain. And it made her go in a deeper, smoother trance. The voice spoke to her.

"Amy."

"Waa!" Amy looked around and saw the old fox Merlin.

He extended his hands upwards and apologized, "Prithee, forgive me. I did not mean to alarm you.

Amy clutched her chest with her hand breathing heavily, "It's alright, Merlin, "She pointed at the fox as he neared her to the gangway. "Right?"

The old, white bearded fox nodded and asked, "May I join you?"

"Sure." Amy said, looking back at the waves. An arbitrary thought crossed her mind, _Sonic would hate this._ The thought made her grin widely.

"Gramercy." The old fox thanked.

The two stood silent for what seemed like an awkward eternity. Amy glared at the fox for a few seconds, staring out of the corner of her eye. She wondered what the fox might be thinking. Amy scratched an itch below her nose, all the while remembering what she had been told about Merlin. Everyone knew he was a powerful wizard, but only a few had witnessed that power.

"Look at it, "The fox stared at the same mesmerizing waves Amy was looking at. "Aman's Ale. You need it to survive, and yet too much of it can kill you."

Sometimes, piecing together the old fox's words was like trying to solve a puzzle without any of the pieces. But Amy thought it over, Aman was the first Mobian. And Merlin was referring to water. Hitherto, she had never heard water be called Aman's Ale. It was probably an old medieval thing.

"Would you call that irony? Or just plain incongruous." Merlin meant to ask rhetorically but Amy was sure to answer.

"I'm not sure." She smiled weakly, not looking at the fox. Amy tried thinking of something positive, but before long, her mind was filled with poison. She dare not for one moment enjoy or hope to support the idea of war. She hated violence now more than ever, in all of its aspects. But some mystical wave had put those thoughts in her mind. She knew there would be blood, and lots of it.

"Your thoughts betray you sweetling." Merlin smiled empathetically and yet had a look of past worry. Amy could tell the fox was tired, he had large bags under his eyes.

Amy looked as if her most intimate self was being revealed, "You can read my thoughts?"

Merlin shook his head, "No. But I can sense the chaos force around you. It calls to me and says juvament."

Amy relaxed and looked the fox over again. As if it would somehow reveal to her what he was thinking. "What else does it say?" She asked, now more intrigued.

Merlin breathed in quietly, "You worry greatly about your friends. You imagine the worst is going to happen to them."

"Maybe." Amy looked away downtrodden.

"Surely the nerves are getting the best of you." Merlin placed his hand on her shoulder, "I see a few futures where your life is a long one."

Amy's first instinct was to ask if she was going to marry Sonic in the future. But she stopped herself. All the lucky charms in the world couldn't possibly guarantee her safety in the end of this battle. She didn't even quite believe that Merlin was seeing her future at all.

"I didn't need to hear that." She said plainly.

Merlin saddened his facial features, "My dear I think you do. There is one thing you do need to hear."

"How could you possibly know that?" Amy asked.

"The chaos force-" he began.

"I'll save you the trouble." Amy interrupted dismissing him with a wave of her hand, "I don't believe in the chaos force." Amy wondered if she was being rude, but she thought the best thing to do was make her point clear and prove something to herself.

The old fox chuckled, "You wouldn't be the only one." He seemed as if his thoughts took him to another world. He stared off into the dying sunlight in between heavy shaped clouds. "You and half of Mobius… maybe all of it."

"Your point…" Amy exchanged a glance at the old fox, she was not convinced he was completely with it that day.

Merlin broke off whatever trance he might have been in and vaguely asked, "What? Oh yes my point. Why all the hudder-mudder Amy?"

The pink hedgehog looked just as confused as anyone would have been with that sort of question, "Hudder-what?"

"Mm? Oh," He said, "Secrecy. Excuse my old verbiage."

"Why all the secrecy?" Amy pried.

"Yes." Merlin insisted, "Why do you blanket yourself with lies and deceit?" Merlin himself almost questioned his motives and interference.

Amy appeared offended and scoffed at the fox. She would have left him there but the old wizard grabbed her by the arm. A vastness of feeling overwhelmed the hedgehog. She felt like she herself was resisting to leave, so she stayed.

"The chaos force demands it!" Merlin snapped but stopped himself, letting go of the girl. "I am sorry." He looked away at the sea again, "I have not been myself."

Amy could not make herself leave, instead she braced her weight on the wooden gangway and looked to the old fox. As strange as he was, Amy felt that she could trust him, just not right away, not now with that sort of character. Perhaps when the old wizard touched her, it sent some sort of magic through her. She could not think of one reason to stay, and so far, she had.

"What is it you need to tell me?" Amy insisted.

The fox sighed and smiled weakly at the hedgehog. Even a three-hundred year old fox could feel embarrassed. "You really are your father's daughter aren't you?"

Amy also sighed heavily, "Did you know Ban?"

The wizard nodded, trying to recollect the olden days, days long forgotten. He pointed slightly at Arondight. Amy looked its way as well before the old fox started, "Ban was a skilled warrior. All with Arondight seem to have… seemed to rub off on its power."

"Power?" Amy inquired. She eyed the sword again in confusion.

"Oh yes." Merlin continued, finding the proper words this time. "He once led an expedition to the southern kingdoms. He easily stopped a war between the Golden Hive and Cat Country." The fox laughed for a moment, "He wasn't even there for that. He was supposed to parley with the Alpha from the Wolf Pack Nation. Of course… that turned kew-kaw sour." He smiled, "It wasn't a total loss." He stopped momentarily, "He also led many battlefields against the Irons."

"Why are you telling me this?" Amy asked, "I know he worked for the Legion."

Merlin instantly became saddened for the girl, "Don't think this simple squiddle. There is a point to all of this."

Amy made a face, "I don't even know what squiddle means."

The wizard chuckled again, "There were many who worked for the Legion, but your father he…" Merlin seemed to be stopping himself more and more. That run for being more understood was seemingly dying out. "We three, myself, Mordred Hood and Ban tried to break the Legion from the inside. But it was in vain. There was of course, a greater mission, even unbeknownst to me. I told them to keep an eye on the shards."

Amy looked to the fox again, hoping she wouldn't regret the question later, "Shards? You mean the swords. Excalibur's shards."

"Rightly so." Merlin agreed.

"Why are they so important?" Amy wondered.

Merlin simply nodded off to the side, "I thought it was to help us yarken. I was only half right. It seems the swords would not give off the same light as Excalibur did."

Amy looked confused again. Merlin tried to clarify, "Ah, um, you see, in the time of King Arthur, Excalibur gave the light of truth to the righteous and-"

She interrupted, "No, I mean what does yarken mean?"

"Ah," Merlin chuckled, "prepare. But to answer more honestly my dear, I don't seem to remember why they are so important. But Morgan, Nimue and I seemed to think so."

The hedgehog pointed at the fox with clarity in her appearance, "Them I've heard of. The three wizards."

"Yes!" Merlin exclaimed excitedly, "Rightly so again. You see, Excalibur was the sign of the gods. A sign and birthright given to Arthur Pendragon to rixle over, not only Camelot… but all of Mobius." The fox noticed the confusion and rephrased, "Rixle… um, to rule." The wizard looked distant again, "I treated him as I would my son. He was a just man, until the days of his many infidelities. And the light… Excalibur shattered. Tis true, even his son Gawain became more righteous than he towards the end. And… Mordred. He became… vile like his son…"

"Mordred?" Amy asked, not wanting to get any more off track with the fox. "You mean Mephiles? The Dark One right?"

Merlin did not seem to hear Amy, "Sir Olgivile was among those knights who protected the realm, with righteous vigor. Even after Arthur's death. Olgivile the Short they called him. Oh how he hated the name. But he grew into it. Well… there wasn't much growth there." He chuckled again, distracting himself.

Amy waved her hands around, "I think we're getting off track here again."

Merlin was in a trance again, speaking monotonously, "When Excalibur shattered there was Arondight, Laevatein, Galatine, Graal, Morgause, and… Caliburn."

She took advantage of the trance, "What happened to Caliburn?" She started whispering but she did not know why, "Can you remember?"

Merlin continued in his trance, still looking like he was miles away, "There were two wizards, Ixis Naugus and the other who came back from the dead. He… came back… And Ixis took the sword from… us."

The voice whispered inside Amy again and she tried to focus all her might on the voice. She heard a name she had only read in books. "Mogul." Amy could remember the dream again. The dream she had with Sonic. She quickly worried for his life. All life seemed to stop for Amy, as she was filled with the dread of the dream.

"Sweetling?"

Amy opened her eyes again. The fox seemed to be on Mobius again as he was holding her back and looking at her with an odd complexion. "Huh?"

"You said something." He spoke.

She shook her head, "No it was nothing."

"He'll be alright." Merlin said reading her thoughts.

Amy was at least glad of that. Even thought that now, hearing of the future only filled her with dismay and alarm. She certainly hoped he would be.

"I wonder if taking Morgause to open sea was a bad idea." Merlin said as he grabbed at his scabbard. "You best keep that close too." He said pointing at her sword.

"Well we've got you on our side, so that must count for something." Amy commented but the wizard was not so sure of himself or his abilities as of late.

"If they get to any real danger I'll have to port them away." Merlin said.

"You're a Prower right?" Amy questioned.

Merlin nodded.

"I know your nephew, Tails." Amy chuckled lightly.

"What is it with you young people and the word tails? Is it the new fadoodle? Because it's all fadoodle in my mind. Speaking of which, did you know Miles has two tails? That might have been my fault. I do worry for him though, especially nowadays."

"Once we defeat the Irons, you won't have to worry anymore." Amy giggled but realized what the fox had said, "Wait what?"

Merlin slammed his fists down on the wooden gangway and happily remembered why he had approached the pink girl in the first place. He reconstituted and tried to sound more serious than what he looked, "I remembered what I needed to tell you."

Amy looked confused again but asked anyway, "You what? You still haven't gotten to that?" She chuckled nervously, eyeing the insane wizard.

"One day, "Merlin started, pausing briefly, "You will have to use Arondight's ability… but you may not like the result." Merlin sighed loudly and smiled at his delayed success.

But before Amy could respond she heard and saw the panic of the crew. Her mother reached her quickly and said, "Foreign ships!"

Amy asked worriedly, "How foreign?"


	7. Chapter 6: The Unnatural Current

**Chapter 6**

 **The Unnatural Current**

 _Okay, this is it. But try not to overthink it! Breathe, don't forget to breathe. Yeah, that's important. Smile, you should always look presentable. Or should I smile!? What should I say? They're all looking at me now. Sally… say something._

Sally Acorn was not the only Acorn not willing or rather not being able to function normally in the certain situation. The feeling of war gave her dread, a small and icy chill was felt behind her back, and it kept Sally on the balls of her feet. But being the queen as she was, made others, and the entire crew look towards her for guidance.

The queen felt that she would have been better off if she stayed in the castle. Right at that moment, she could not shake the unmistakable thought that perhaps she was being too ineffectual. Perhaps even overwhelmingly and increasingly inept. But incompetence was the least of her problems. Right as she thought those dreadful thoughts, and as the crew panicked about and around her, asking her all sorts of questions, there was, not only one vast ship from afar-riding the waves, but many ships following it from behind. The stationary immensities rode a league in front of the Alicia. A few other Acorn ships pushed forward, slightly in front of the flagship, but having already dropped anchor.

The only thing that might have seemed spookier or dreadful was the mist that had gathered around the never ending fleet of ships. The white puffery of atmosphere surrounded the wood and gave it solemn silence. It even blocked the curious sun in the sky, giving off a light- not yellow, but white, penetrating and mixing with the also white mist. Even though the Acorns were on the verge and eve of battle, they felt cathartic. Death's cold fingertips had been swiping and stroking the animals, and yet they were relieved, and finally free from anxiety. There was another wave sent above sea level, and some of the animals felt happy, even pleased.

Sally had still not spoken for a minute and she was still being bombarded with shouts from Mrs. Helmswoman and other armored Acorns. Even her father peered through the crowd to ask what the matter was. Sonic had walked next to the old king.

"I… I'm not… sure." Sally trailed off. Ostensibly, the queen had felt the wave also and was numbed from pain. She caught herself drooling and immediately blushed since she was now receiving less shouts and more stares.

"Sally?" The blue hedgehog had asked now for a fourth time, waving his hand in front of the chipmunk queen's head. That time it caught her attention and she stared blankly at him, not knowing where she was at the moment.

"What?" Sally asked. She did not believe the question as it grazed her lips in exit. She looked over to her father who was clutching his head, seemingly in pain. She was surrounded by the chipmunk helmswoman, the old turtle Smash, and the two chipmunk brothers. Something caught the queen's eye and she ignored the crowd and even Sonic. She waved a hand away in dismissal and pushed her way through to the wooden gangway. She gasped and others looked out as well. This time, Sally was not the only one who saw her mother. Alicia was seen just feet away from the flagship. Max also beheld his lover. He remembered her and beheld her with the old Camelot attire, a blue shirt and jacket laced with red. The deceased chipmunk mother of Sally was calling to her daughter. Many on the ship gazed at the floating chipmunk, some shivered and looked away. Max's gaze could not be broken, neither could her daughter's.

"Don't look!" Sonic grabbed the queen but she resisted. And like someone being woken up from a dream she panicked, hitting the hedgehog in defiance. "Look at me!"

Sally groaned and yelped until she asked, "Huh?" There was a moment of clarity in the glare and eyes of the chipmunk queen. She almost appeared shell-shocked. And the queen finally broke her solemn trance. "Sonic?"

"Yes." The hedgehog smiled and nodded.

"How long was I out?" Sally asked feeling a slight sting above her brow.

Sonic looked confused, "You… no you weren't out."

"I saw my mother!" Sally's eyes widened as she remembered.

Sonic nodded again, this time he looked abashed and disdainful. He would have responded but he only looked the way they had seen her. To Sally's amazement her mother was still there, calling, lively as ever in open sea.

"Sally." The woman called, and her voice rung deep in the bowels of every animal witnessing her. The two chipmunk brothers clung to each other fiercely, persuading each other to look away. Smash had begun to speak to himself about past lives lost, praying to his seven gods.

The old turtle could be heard mumbling, his back against the gangway, "Aman, Ranoe, Khaphotron, Golgann, Aggramm, Sargas. Hear my prayer, send your wisdom, strength, and might. Give back the mantle, forge us a home, give us life, cover us with the sky, avenge us, defend us, and watch over me."

"Alicia!" Maximillian yelled over the gangway, reaching out to his beloved. Sonic and the helmswoman quickly realized the old king was about to jump. The two reached for each shoulder of the king and restrained him before he could endanger himself. "Let go of me!" He spat. "Don't you see that's my wife?! She's calling to me!"

Sonic pinned the old chipmunk to the wooden ground and slapped him across the face. "That's not your wife! Don't listen!"

Confused, the helmswoman looked out again. She wanted to deny it as Sonic was doing, but everything and something small told her that that lie was simply a lie. What she saw before her- that was the real thing, which was the would-be queen. "Snap out of it." Mrs. Helmswoman shook her head, trying to give up her fears.

Others followed suit. The wave hit the Alicia hard this time. A literal gigantesque wave was sent across the ship, moving them off course slightly from their stationary position. One of the chipmunk brothers peeked overboard and whined. While the other brother told him to look away. What he saw was others. Deceased animals from past lives, they were walking towards the Alicia.

Sonic looked over. He could not believe it but his eyes were telling him otherwise. Sure enough, he saw his sister Sonia. "Sonic." She called. "Come to me." She said. The blue hedgehog held his mouth in terror and looked away, facing the king.

"Don't you see? They are calling." Max's explanation seemed convincing and true. There seemingly was no doubt in his eyes.

"They're dead!" Sonic spat back at the king, now holding him again on the ground.

The Alicia suddenly pushed forward as if it was being dragged. Max clung to his head in pain again, and keeled over. Sonic pushed away from the king and looked at Sally who was also clinging onto her own head and rubbing her temples. "What's happening?" Sonic asked.

In utter confusion Sally responded, "They're… leaving."

Just as Sally said it the apparitions were being drawn to the other ships in front of them. There were sudden yells from the other ships, even a few animals were jumping overboard to meet the spirits.

"We have to go now." Sally commanded.

"What?" Sonic asked in uncertainty. "Where?"

"Out there!" Sally yelled angrily, pointing at the other ships.

"Are you crazy?" Sonic wondered, feeling this was happening all too quickly.

"I recognize those ships." Sally said, "That's Knottingham brigade."

"She's right." Max got up.

Sonic tried to think of a reason or even a better solution to all of this. "I mean, is there a way to know for sure? That's the enemy, isn't it? That could be Dimitri on board. This is a trap."

"You're wrong." Sally explained, "They haven't attacked us yet."

"Which could be part of the trap!" Sonic yelled. "What about those things!? We can't go out there now?"

"We have to help them." Sally ordered feeling a lot more like herself. "Either way, there may be a fleet coming from the north any second now. And it could be possible that Knottingham does not know that."

"I'll go and warn them." Max offered.

"No." Sally spoke, "Sonic is going with me."

"I really must prot-" Max was stopped by another glare from her daughter and he quieted.

"Look!" The helmswoman yelled as each looked across the open sea to the other ships. A small blue flag was waving to and fro on their flagship.

"What?!" Sonic was still confused about the whole thing. "Blue flag, what does that mean? Is that good?"

Both father and daughter looked at each other and Max smiled and said, "They adopted one good thing from us."

"It's settled then." Sally spoke as she headed to the lifeboats.

"Wait!" Sonic called out as his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and stared back at the queen as she waited. Sonic quickly tried to think of a reason why he was unable to traverse such waters but he could not and he stumbled over himself. The queen readied her boat and got on while the Helmswoman manned the pulley. "Quickly now!" Sally yelled at the hedgehog as he slowly climbed on.

"Are you sure about this?" Mrs. Helmswoman asked the queen.

Sally ignored the question and directed to the chipmunk captain, "If anything happens to me, you listen to Max. He may not be your king but I have pardoned him."

"Understood my queen." The helmswoman agreed without a doubt.

Quietly a red fox approached the queen before she could go, "My queen you must allow me to go with you."

"No Fiona." Sally commanded, "You must protect Max."

Fiona would have protested but she somberly let her queen go and watched as she was lowered onto the sea. Meanwhile on the little boat, a very much afraid Sonic clung onto his wooden seat. He was beginning to hyperventilate. Seeing as the hedgehog might not be the most helpful on this small trip, Sally grabbed at the oars and began rowing to their destination. "What's the matter with you?" Sally asked.

Sonic did not respond for the longest time until he looked at the queen with much fear in his eyes. "I… I can't swim."

"You've got to be-" As Sally stopped and noticed, she realized the hedgehog was not joking. "I'm sorry I didn't know."

"It's fine." Sonic's voice cracked again, "It's too late now."

"You should have said something." Sally snapped, angrier than she wanted to be.

"I'm sorry, I tried." Sonic eyed the mischievous waters with great intensity. "Besides… you're the queen. What you say goes." He gulped nervously looking out at the spirits that seemed to be evaporating. "At least those things are leaving."

Sally mumbled something incomprehensible.

"What?" Sonic asked, turning his attention to the queen and slightly letting go of the fact that he was in great danger all around him.

"I said, I was sorry about the other night." Sally shook her head, defiant about something in her mind. She quickly waved the thought away and scoffed at herself.

Sonic paused and weighed his words and options. He obviously had something to say but was unsure of if he wanted or needed to. "I'm sorry too."

"You don't need to be." Sally intervened still looking at everything other than him. "It was all me, I was drunk. But I guess that's no excuse for the "queen"." Sally felt her arms begin to ache.

"Don't do that." Sonic pleaded, "We can forget about what happened that night."

"Like it never happened?" Sally asked.

Sonic agreed, "Maybe… I dunno, maybe I just needed… time." Sonic worried less about the water and grew more anxious about his feelings. He knew he had been blushing for quite some time now.

"What are you saying?" Sally asked.

Sonic sighed to himself, "Promise you won't make fun."

Sally giggled, "That's the least of your problems! Look where we are!" Sally stopped and agreed.

The blue hedgehog struggled for a while, "I've never… really been in a relationship." Sonic blushed redder than before and he looked down at his sneakers. He appeared to have shut down for a moment.

Sally understood, "Neither have I." She shook her head again, "But I was foolish back there."

"And don't forget inappropriate." Sonic joked but he still seemed calmer and more reserved than usual. "It's my fault." He came to that conclusion.

The boat was halfway there, skidding in the open ocean, nearing the Knottingham flagship.

Sally shook her head, "No."

Sonic finally came to his delayed senses, "I do like you Sally but… I might… have." He growled at himself for not being able to communicate properly. Rapidly Sally let go of the oars and began to hug the hedgehog.

"I know." Sally sighed, "And she's a lucky lady."

Sonic breathed heavily, realizing these certain conclusions at a time like this was surprisingly uplifting and stress-relieving.

From the Knottingham flagship, Amy began to swell with tears. What she saw was not at all right in her heart and mind. She knew she would have to face the day when she would have to let go of him. But not like this. And now he was kissing someone else? She hadn't even seen him in months, even a year!

Sally let go of Sonic as she noticed someone on the enormous ship, "Dindrane!?" She shouted as she saw the cat lady queen.

Dindrane the Lying Lady waved at the Acorn queen, "We've come to help the Acorns, Queen Sally!"

Sally began to rejoice with Sonic but noticed that Dindrane was looking at something else. Something in the mist, from the north. Sally looked concerned and Sonic asked, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure." Sally responded, as she stopped rowing. The two were a little farther than halfway to their destination.

"CANNON FIRE!" Dindrane yelled out.

Suddenly the water near Sally and Sonic splashed loudly and everywhere and the two heard the screeching of Mobiron breeching the wood of the ship and out the other side.

Amy quickly peered out and stood atop the ship overlooking the two, "Sonic!"

Sonic looked over behind him, "Amy?"

Quiet. The calm before the storm. It was all dark with the mist. The other ship was coming. Flags. The flag was of a hand and three fingers pointed to the sky- the thumb, the pointer and index.

The ship was monstrous, massive, gigantic. The ship was daring and it came with great velocity. The unnatural current had been carrying it south for quite some time. And that current was being made from below, and it welcomed this new ship.

Black. The sails were as pitch as night. The crew of this new ship was yelling and all were ready to die. Its captain, the scum of the earth beckoned death with open arms and he glared at his prey, hungry to kill.

This new ship slammed with all of its might into the Knottingham flagship, sending chunks of wood in every direction. It even sent a few crewmates into the bottomless pit that was the sea, and it ate them up.

"Return fire!" Dindrane yelled as she tried getting up.

"We have to go back!" Sonic screamed as Sally was confused about it all.

Out of nowhere and instantaneously and with great rhythm, Knottingham and Acorn ships alike had begun to receive threatening blows from all corners. The battle had commenced. Iron ships attacked with great vigor. The Legion of Darkness reigned fire from the north and engaged with Knottingham and the Irons took care of the Acorns.

Galatine and its new owner jumped on Knottingham's flagship with all of its bewildered crew. Merlin reached for Morgause. Amy and Dindrane followed suit with their swords as they beheld their enemy. Gawain's sword Galatine was being held by Dimitri. And that light-red echidna wore the longest smile on his head.

Dimitri chuckled as the Knottinghamites readied for the fight of their lives, "Alright. Who's first?"

* * *

Both Charmy and Saffron began speaking to each other with more reserved tones. They tried to think of a way out without exacerbating the situation with yells or anxious attitudes. But both knew they were in a world of trouble.

"What should we do about him?" Saffron pointed at Aster. They had lured and captured him and tied him up within the tall grass. They thought they were concealed, but the eye knew exactly where they were.

"I'm thinking." Charmy grunted as he felt up his wound on his leg.

"Let me look at that." Saffron offered.

"I'm fine." Charmy shot back but quickly apologized.

The Queen-Bee approached her husband and grabbed him by his shoulders, "We will make it out of this, together."

Charmy smiled, "I know."

Just then, Aster had begun to shake violently. It spooked the two bees to witness him shake but he did so, subsequently rapidly that he almost was let loose from his bonds. It appeared as if he was choking on something. His color changed from black and yellow to black. His skin seemed to stick up and resemble the sickly animal they had witnessed before. Before long, his entire body was covered with black and his body stopped moving.

Charmy pulled Aster closer to see if he was alive. Aster's chest was still-but now- smeared with red. And whatever semblance of the person he once was, or even that he was a bee at all to begin with, was now gone. And there lay a blackened thing. Motionless.

"Aster?" Charmy asked.

The being that was Aster responded with a shriek, "Master! They are here!"

Before Charmy could stop him from yelling, out from in between the tall grass came the eye. And the eye looked at Charmy and Saffron. Its glare penetrated the two bees. The eye had blackened skin like Aster's. It floated where it was and had six tentacles protruding from it. It only stared at them until it spoke harshly to them.

"You will join us, sooner or later!"


	8. Chapter 7: The Auspice Sequence

**Chapter 7**

 **The Auspice Sequence**

"Maybe he's… still mad. I should leave him be. You know how he is." Caitlyn, our little bat friend was unexpectedly awakened by the gap between her on the bed and the edge of it. Even with her very white and very thin fur, she would wake up with quite the frivolous mess all around her skin. And as she relayed her head upon her very comfortable pillow she realized her cheek was chilly. She looked to see what the matter was, recognizing that she had drooled on said pillow. When she turned it over she laid her back against the bed. She saw the stone above her, sheltering her. She could not feel the warmth or pleasure of a comforting home surrounding her. Not without her echidna next to her.

I'd like to stop you for a second if you please. I'm looking at Rouge or Caitlyn, whatever she wants to call herself now. Is it just me or has she changed? I don't mean the obvious name or even her lessening insults to all of us. I'm talking about real change, drastic change. I might be reading into something here but… one such as me has to be thorough. And I know what you must be thinking or rather what I'm leading to here. I'm not saying she's trouble or the one behind anything. But there are a few simple details here and there, obscure, but they are there. Perhaps the wave was bigger than I thought? Oh, hold on, we just missed the part where she describes the whole stone ceiling in great length and detail. I guess you dodged a missile there.

It would have been, but, frankly she just missed him. The thought of him, any thought was not a pleasant one. But she kept telling herself that he was fine and that he would be back. "Maybe I'll have a look around." She said thinking of ways to get her mind off of Knuckles. As she laid her back vertical to the bed she caught another wisp of air coming in from the open window. Caitlyn set her blanket to the side, walked barefoot towards the window and breathed in the cold and tepid, morning air.

For a bat, Caitlyn had gotten used to sleeping more at night and she had to agree with herself, that night she did sleep rather well, even considering her fight with Knuckles. _Take it all in,_ she thought as she saw the Great Forest beyond her, in its great enormity and magnitude from all sides. The great greens mixed well with the blues in the sky, but lately they had been covered by many angry clouds.

Caitlyn covered her silky nightgown with a long, red robe. She skidded onto a pair of sandals and walked out of her lush bedroom.

Now, I know I keep interrupting, but please bear with me. I know you are probably wondering and anxious about what happened to dear old Amy and Sonic. But you have to be considerate. For example, consider the following; this story needs to be told with a certain… sequence.

Sequence. Not a word I would use likely. But why this word? Why of all of the many words I could use, use that one? What is the meaning of all of these charades and what are these heavenly tokens for? What sequence could you be referring to? You may ask. What is… the machine?

Leaving that hallway, Caitlyn found herself admiring a certain courtyard within the second circumferential stone wall. The wall stood around ten feet high. The courtyard itself was almost all horizontal until it met with the actual wall heading east. The stone wall would dip a few feet down, and there could be seen a door. It most likely led outside, kind of a like a trap door leading to an unfamiliar part of the forest near the castle. The courtyard held people, and children. It was happy to think that the queen would let the common folk into the castle, and so close to the queen. There was a specific tidiness that the people of Thumbnut and others needed to keep, but all in all they were respectful and quiet within the castle walls. Caitlyn noticed a few animals in particular, a couple. They were a walrus and a skunk. They were holding hands, with not a care in the world, oblivious to the life outside those very walls, or the borders of the town of Thumbnut.

 _Adorable,_ Caitlyn mused over the couple as she remembered that Knuckles would never allow them to hold hands in public. As a matter of fact, Rouge wasn't like that. Rouge was not like that at all! How could she be thinking these things, she was not like that. Relationships hurt. And they were something she kept away from. But why would her thoughts betray her, again and again? Perhaps Rouge was not like that, but maybe Caitlyn was. She had been Rouge for so long, she had forgotten how Caitlyn was as a child. Not that her childhood personality and traits were defining or supposed to define her now as a young adult. But they were long gone and elapsed. Could Caitlyn handle herself like this… now with a dysfunctional echidna? Not to take much away from Knuckles- she thought herself as hard to get along with too.

Trepidation began overcoming the young, red robed bat that trepid but warm morning-turned afternoon. Of course, that would soon change.

A gleeful thought popped up and Caitlyn's demeanor changed drastically. She remembered why they were there in the first place. She didn't need to worry about Knuckles at all. She knew he would come back, he always did. Sidestepping a bush and a few children, the white bat headed from more close contact walls. As she skidded through the stone hallways with her noisy sandals she brushed off her silly thoughts and mocked her state of past agitation. Oh you silly white bat she might have even thought. How preposterous of you to be so asinine.

Caitlyn tried remembering the way and combination of hallways to take back to the laboratory. It really wasn't that hard she thought. Coming near another garden met with intersecting hallways, she stopped briefly, continued on, but came back again wondering where she was. She looked at the door she had kept passing. It read, Laboratory. _Duhr,_ she thought.

When she opened the door she heard a loud buzzing from within, so she closed the door with ease so as to not alarm Charles. Why was he so nice to them, she thought? In turn, they had not done anything to help him. But perhaps he now expected them to be of some assistance.

The light-blue hedgehog looked up as he saw the red-robed bat walk in. He was more attentive than usual, "Ah, you came in just as I did practically."

"I thought we could help right away." Caitlyn walked deeper into the room, accidentally bumping away a few gadgets from their respective tables.

Charles looked puzzled but then playful, "It is after noon now isn't it?"

The bat blushed, "Oh, I didn't notice I had overslept. But _I'm_ here."

"And I do very much appreciate the help." Charles trotted over to the bat and handed her a metal pad with a single blue and red button on it. "I need to leave, apparently Hamlin has some important business to go over from the queen."

"What should I do with this?" Caity asked eyeing the strange device in her hand.

Charles chuckled, "Since we don't have very many guards here anymore, I need you to make sure my machine is safe." He made sure Caity knew which machine he was referring to. "Oh, and if the machine turns on, on its own, then press the red button." Charles looked back at the now worried bat, "Which it shouldn't do that. But if it does… you might want to leave the room… or the whole castle in fact." Charles saw that his explanation was not helping the bat's emotion. He shook his head, "It will be fine." He started to leave, "I have it hooked up to the Master Emerald, so it should work."

As the blue hedgehog left Caity was left in a sort of awe and she looked around for the green emerald, only to see the small chunks were neatly tucked away next to the large machine in the center of the room. "Huh, work?" She looked at the machine and then back at the device she held in her hand. Even for Caitlyn, this was going to be boring, so she placed the device on a table next to the machine and sat on a chair near it. She began rolling around the large machine. It had railing all around it and was surrounded by what appeared to be glass, or mirror pointing inside of it. There were also mirror-like panels above it, covering it from the top. The rest of the machine could not be seen. It appeared to all be inside of itself. And perhaps some wires running underground, and a few to the green emerald shards.

Caity sighed loudly in defeat. She skidded with her wheelie chair around to what seemed like Charles' office. It was open and filled with all manner of metal and wires and things the bat really didn't want to see or describe or think of. She moved her chair away from the office and noticed another office precisely away and opposite of Charles'. She indifferently went for it, sliding across the floor with her feet maneuvering her chair. Caitlyn stopped midway, realizing there was a wire and a few emerald shards in her way. "Ugh!" She grunted as she got up and carried the chair to the other side. She continued on the chair and she reached the other office. In the middle of the circular, wooden door it said, Jules. She wondered who that might be, but reconsidered and thought that a very weird and meaningless gesture.

She slid the knob, but it would not budge. Caitlyn rolled her eyes but found the excitement she had once let go of returning to her at that moment. "Maybe just one look-see." She pulled a pin-like device from gods know where and began a life-long-left-but-now-a-one-time-sort-of-a-deal skill, and tried breaking in.

Quickly and quietly she was able to slide the knob with success that time as it gave her a satisfying click. She pulled the door open but realized there was not much light to see inside. And she rapidly caught a strange scent coming from the room. It was rancid but not quite putrid. It was more metallic than anything. She held her mouth with one hand as she tried turning a knob with her other hand. "C'mon."

When she was successful again, Caitlyn saw with the new light what the smell was. She covered her mouth with her other hand as well and could not look away. Eyes, they were looking at her, but they were not as alive as hers were. She was a mongoose, she remembered the same mongoose that looked back at her as she and Knuckles left the laboratory just the other day. Her arms and legs seemed mangled and she was under a desk and her body was covered by her own cloak.

She gasped, still not sure what she should feel and tried turning the knob again to unsee what she had seen. She closed the door and pressed back against the door as if the body was coming alive from the other side and coming for her. She looked around nervously and seeped a shrill shriek through her hands but stopped herself. "Charles… killed the mongoose." She suddenly worried all over again for Knuckles and wondered if Charles had hurt him as well. "No wonder he was so friendly, he just wanted to emerald!" Caitlyn ran for the door but not before she grabbed for the small pad and was greeted by Charles coming in. She froze, hiding the pad behind her, unable to say much but mumbles and grumbles.

"There you are!" Charles greeted her, "I was wondering if you knew where I could find your friend Knuckles."

"Oh him?" Caity scolded herself for not speaking more smoothly, "Knuck- is probably still in bed, I'll go get him if you want!" She slowly walked around the hedgehog and stopped in the threshold of the door.

"Would you? I really do need _all_ the help I can get. And you two are perfect for what I have in mind." Charles simply smiled but it all seemed too creepy for Caity. So she nodded and walked off calmly.

"Oh my gods!" Caitlyn mouthed as she turned the corner and began to run back to her room. When she arrived there she slammed the door open and yelled, "Knuckles!" She looked around, realizing she had just shouted and began whispering his name loudly. "Knuckles!" She looked out the window multiple times, checked the closet, under the bed, but nothing. She bit her lip more concerned now than ever.

"Caitlyn?"

"Whaa?" The bat was shocked to find Charles at the doorway.

"You haven't happened to seen my control pad have you?" Charles asked, this time with a worried look in his face.

The bat instinctively pointed the pad at the hedgehog and shrieked, "Stay back!"

Charles' eyes widened and his hands went up immediately, "Whoa, whoa!"

"What did you do with Knuckles!? Did you hurt him?!" She yelled.

"Wha? I do- Caitlyn what are you doing?" Charles looked at the bat, confused at what she was accusing. He tried nearing that bat but that only upset her and she yelled again.

"If you take one more step I swear I'll push the button! Tell me where Knuckles is!" Caity swung the pad again more fiercely.

"Uh, okay." Charles tried, "Why don't you put that down, and we can talk about this."

The bat had her finger positioned right above the blue button, but she was not going to take any chances. She swung her finger down on the blue and watched Charles' perplexed visage turn sour and apprehensive.

"What have you done?!" Charles breathed in deeply, "You can still turn it off. We don't have much time."

"I'm not going to ask you again! Where is he!?" Caity felt tears form under her eyes.

"I don't know!" Charles yelled back, "Give me the pad, and I'll help you find him!"

As Caity saw that the hedgehog was nearing her she threw the pad out the open window. Charles gasped so loudly the castle over might have heard him. The bat herself did not believe she did that, plus she didn't quite comprehend what the machine was capable of doing.

"We still might have time!" Charles ran out the room hitting his arm on the door and slipped a few times under the stone, trying to stop his machine.

Caitlyn ran out of the room as well, panicked at it all but stopped herself, "What have I done?!" She went back into the room and prepared to fly out of the window. As she dove out something hit her diving into the room and she closed her eyes in pain. She felt her head sting and she looked around dizzily. She gasped as she saw many more of what had hit her, come in through the open window.

Charles leapt over a garden wall and hit the wall across from it. He cursed as he slipped again on the stone floor. When he got up he looked around. Something had made him slip, and it was not the stone. Charles shrieked and put his hands up in defiance.

I know I know, I didn't forget about you. Just give me a second to get there. Even I can't be in two places at once. That would be… silly.

* * *

Sonic coughed up sea water as he climbed the Alicia with Queen Sally behind him. "Never, again!" He pointed at Sally, she brushed him away and the two noticed they were not alone. They should have been accompanied by their crew, but they were currently engaging with fighting bulls. Swords clanged away in the misty air and Sonic prepared to fight.

Sally looked every which way for her father and called out to him, "Max!" She unsheathed her sword and began fighting as well.

"Sally!" Max called out back to her daughter, he was clanging against steel with a thick-skinned, brown bull, twice the size of Max.

Sonic looked around and armed himself with a sword of his own from a fallen crewmate. He was pushed aside from an Acorn guardsman. Sonic looked him over but saw that the guardsman was looking at more pressing matters. Sonic saw, and felt the ship shake. It rumbled from the weight of a very large bull. She was the most massive and fat, white, bull that Sonic had ever witnessed. The Iron Queen's feet broke the wood below her. It was a miracle she did not fall inside and deeper into the ship. She had much jewelry dangling from her ears and neck. She had all sorts of fine cloth on her. And when she spoke it was thunderous and a little queasy to look at. Her words were more belching than actual speaking words. But the Iron Queen had something clung with her. From tip to handle was a white sword with an even whiter jewel within it. Galahad's sword Graal swung left, swung right, swung every possible way, killing Acorns left, right, down, and anywhere. Effortlessly the Iron Queen killed her way through to the center of the ship where she met with Sonic. She laughed a billowy laugh, "Is this _the_ Sonic? The Hero of Time?" She laughed again, "You're so… puny."

"Fight me and you'll see how puny I can be that didn't come out right." Sonic facepalmed.

"Face me then!" Regina yelled pointing the sword at Sonic, "Your end has come! And as you can see, I've brought your end right here." She pointed at Graal.

Sonic chuckled, "This shouldn't take too long."

Sally winced at her open wound on her arm that had been made by Regina, she stopped and looked at Sonic who had been kicked away. Max had also been matched by the Iron Queen and was trying to surround her. Sonic looked around defeated, he saw that more bulls were boarding the Alicia, "This might take longer than I expected."


	9. Chapter 8: Arondight's Ability

**Chapter 8**

 **Arondight's Ability**

Amy moved Arondight from side to side. Occasionally seeing the gleam of her red jewel centered on the sword. Many Knottinghamites battled behind her against the Legion of Darkness and many echidnas but she did not care. She saw her true opponent in front of her, and Dimitri only smiled as he was surrounded by the pink hedgehog, Merlin, and even Dindrane. Merlin grabbed at the very shiny Morgause with both of his hands. He was concerned about the battle, but he was even more concerned that he had dropped his staff and could not remember any spells at the moment. Dindrane saw and glanced at the wizard but focused her attention on the evil echidna, and she readied Laevatein, always pointing it at the ground first.

"Now, now!" Dimitri laughed devilishly, "Friends, or should I say, future headless, this just does not seem fair. Three against one? Now that is no way to treat a guest! You should be ashamed!" The three did not move, but Dimitri did, slowly to and fro. "I'd imagine these dreadful manners from the Irons, but not you oh queen! Oh no, no, never from Knottingham! And looky what we have here!" He smiled crookedly, "A wizard? By the gods you've seen better days haven't you Merlin?" He looked to the other side where Amy was, "And of course, _we_ have not met." He slightly looked over to the cat lady, "Dindrane will you introduce me to this stunning, sweet, little runt?"

"Enough, Dimitri!" Dindrane yelled at the echidna.

"It's Amy you sod!" the pink hedgehog pointed Arondight straight at the echidna's neck. "I'm the runt who's going to kill you!"

Dimitri swayed his retched neck towards the queen again, "Ooo, a feisty one. I see the resemblance now."

"Your move you wretch!" Merlin yelled at the echidna.

"I'm glad you said something." Dimitri smiled more devilishly than before. "Let's make this a fair fight!" His laugh resounded and echoed. Dimitri activated his sword, and Galatine's jewel began to gleam brightly. Swiftly, Dimitri seemed to be morphing away from himself. A horrid sight showed that Dimitri was splitting in two from right down the center of him. Then there was another Dimitri, and then another.

"Come at me then!" One Dimitri said.

"You will see, " Another Dimitri started.

"That I have seen death, and I am not afraid!" The third Dimitri finished. The three Dimitri's charged at the unsuspecting Amy, Dindrane and Merlin and began engaging them in sword duels.

"Have at thee then!" Dindrane yelled, showering her blade with a wild spin, and just then Laevatein's jewel shone brightly.

Merlin grunted but managed to pick up his staff and hold Morgause steady. And with the clack of both his staff and his sword, he swung the two together and was able to activate Morgause.

Amy grumbled away, looking for higher ground, trying not to focus on anyone else but her charging opponent.

The old, bearded fox was surprised by himself, he was actually not doing half bad. But every so often he would have to swing his right hand to block with his staff. Galatine swung very deeply under the control of Dimitri. Merlin mumbled under his breath, trying to find a spell in his failing memory. He hoped Morgause was not his only saving grace.

"What's the matter old man!?" Dimitri scolded, "Forgot your spells?!"

Merlin grunted and heaved Morgause at Galatine, balancing his weight on the sword and still trying to remember any old spell.

"Ah, " Dimitri realized, "That is the case, isn't it?" He chuckled deafeningly as he pushed the old fox back again.

Merlin swung his staff in the air and as he spoke his chant his voice sounded as an earthquake, "Conjuro Arma!"

Dimitri stayed back waiting for something to happen. Merlin chuckled as he noticed he wasn't saying the right words. Dimitri scoffed and went at the fox again, but before he swung, Merlin swung Morgause away towards the sky and disappeared. Dimitri looked around confused, "What is this? Show yourself old man!"

"Wouldn't you like that, Dimitri?" A figureless voice called out from the air.

Dimitri looked around and spat, "You fool! You coward!"

"No, " Merlin corrected, "A coward is killing your mother and father in their sleep."

"You know nothing! You're no wizard! You're a fool who cowers in the shadows!" Dimitri angrily yelled as he shifted around uncomfortably, shielding himself with Galatine.

"A fool is someone who allies with nothing but a shadow." Merlin chuckled as to be heard.

Dimitri growled, "You do not speak of Mephiles that way! You have not seen his true power like I have." The echidna felt something on his shoulder and he swung away behind him not hitting anything but the wooden flooring.

"How lowly have Mobians fallen!" Merlin spoke in that earthquake shrill tone again, "You dishonor our kind as animals with delusions of a madman with no real wisdom, authority or control! But he has great influence. Influence to delude the simple minded!"

"You know not what you speak!" Dimitri spat and yelled at nothing.

Merlin reappeared behind the echidna and drove Morgause through Dimitri's back quickly. Dimitri gave out a loud gasp and his double or triple disappeared. "Consarnit!" Merlin spat, "Not the original."

Rapidly and with much ease, Laevatein allowed Dindrane to move away and toward Dimitri. The cat lady jumped higher than the average cat, avoiding all of Dimitri's strikes.

"Why won't you stand still?!" Dimitri yelled at the queen.

"Oh come now Dimitri," Dindrane started as she balanced and spun around the echidna, "Did you think it was going to be that easy?"

Dimitri swung again, this time he was sure he hit her square in her center. Dindrane was on the ground suddenly on all fours, she pushed her whole body in between Dimitri's legs and came out the other side on her feet again, slashing the echidna's back.

"Gahh!" Dimitri yelled with fire and rage in his eyes. He swung Galatine back, but with each swing, Laevatein gave the queen much agility and bested even his best sword techniques. Even the light red in Dimitri seemed to get more crimson as he swung away ferociously. Dimitri unexpectedly grabbed at Laevatein with both of his hands, dropping Galatine. Dindrane gasped in shock as the echidna bled profusely from where he held the sword.

"Wha?" Dindrane asked perplexingly.

"Now tell me about your daughter." Dimitri smiled and it stopped the queen momentarily as she tried freeing his grip from her sword. "Is she a good a sword fighter as you are?"

Dindrane tried not to say anything but her look betrayed her.

Dimitri smacked his lips, "Mm, I'll have some fun with her!"

"You monster!" Dindrane yelled as she swiped Laevatein away and cut open Dimitri's hands. As Dimitri laughed and did nothing but look at the queen, the Lying Lady swung straight into Dimitri's heart and his double vanished.

Amy found herself climbing down into the ship while still clanging Arondight against Galatine. Dimitri was a ruthless fighter, his posture and technique were amongst the best Amy had ever seen. He was so precise and always was on the offensive. Amy had herself doubting a few times here and there, noticing her footing more, and looking at her surroundings more than at Dimitri.

"Hah!" Dimitri swung loudly and wildly giving Amy a chance to get away. She saw all manner of barrels and wooden planks supporting the main level, she tried dodging them but bumped against a few. It was dark and she hoped that could be used to her advantage. She quickly hid behind a pair of empty barrels. She tried catching her breath but was unable to tone down her erratic breathing pattern.

Amy looked down at Arondight and knocked on the red jewel with her knuckle. "Why won't you activate?" Abruptly, something changed around Amy, it had gotten darker for a moment. She looked outside through a wooden window without any glass, it was dark outside. That was impossible, it was just barely day out. She saw something else though, there seemed to be much lack of sea. Just as abrupt as before everything changed again and Galatine swung close to her ear. She felt the ringing of steel and heard it deep inside her head. "Ah!" Amy shouted as she got up and pushed Dimitri aside. Luckily that worked and the echidna fell backwards.

Dimitri picked himself up and searched again for the fleeing pink hedgehog. He began to laugh, "Is this it? You are the runt that's going to kill _me_?"

Up above both Merlin and Dindrane tried to fight on, only to realize that they were beginning to be surrounded by more and more Dimitri's. Each a different Dimitri said, laughing at the queen, "Face it, it's over. You. Have. Lost."

Dindrane yelled back, for her, and for her surviving people, "Fight on Knottingham, fight on! For King Ban!"

Unanimously the surviving Knottinghamites yelled back, "For King Ban!"

"C'mon Amy," The pink hedgehog whispered, "Keep it together."

"I can look into your soul, Amy." Dimitri egged on. The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once and Amy felt more alone than she had felt before. The wooden walls surrounding her seemed to close and entrap her.

Amy looked over to see a blue hedgehog. "Sonic?"

"Amy?" Sonic asked just as bewildered as she.

Amy shook her head, "No, that can't be!"

Sonic laughed in the voice of Dimitri, "Amy I'll never love you. You're just a silly girl with silly dreams. And a dead father!"

Amy clenched Arondight angrily and fiercely, giving out a battle cry and coming at Dimitri with all her fury and might. Dimitri welcomed her with open arms. There was a crack and a splurging sound. Amy looked down. She had stabbed Dimitri in his belly and Arondight came out the other side, spraying blood everywhere, behind him and around her. Dimitri looked down and simply moved his head sideways. "Now that is odd, isn't it?" The echidna looked over at the hedgehog, smiling, he grabbed Amy's hands and pushed them closer to him, sinking Arondight closer and farther into his body.

Amy shrieked, let go of Arondight and sped away into another crevice of the ship, scared and confused, near tears. Dimitri pulled the sword away from him, making another crack and more blood seep away. Dimitri admired both of his prizes, "Now I have, two."

The pink hedgehog held back tears but found that it was a lot more difficult to do under that circumstance. She clung to herself as she tried to disappear within the ship. Nothing seemed to be working, and Dimitri seemed as if he could not die. What was she to do? Amy momentarily thought of Sonic. Someone that, despite all the unpleasantness, and the clinginess, gave her strength, gave her courage. She didn't need to be scared when he was around. And for a moment she wasn't. She looked to see something shining in front of her, something that might work for her favor this time.

"I've had enough of this, come out little girl!" Dimitri yelled.

"Dimitri!"

The echidna looked around to see the pink hedgehog was but a few feet away, looking at him with a fierce glare, open to him, unrelenting and without fear. Dimitri laughed and stretched a bit. The old echidna smiled solemnly for the facts he knew, and he knew them all too well. He thought of his love in the world, and how right he had been all along, but Dimitri knew, he had known most of his life. Any last words, little Amy?"

"Only yours." Amy said plainly.

This angered the echidna and he charged for the hedgehog, but she would not move. Dimitri swung Arondight deep into Amy and he watched as something shattered. The confused echidna looked at the sword and the shattered glass and caught Amy as she elbowed his nose right next to him behind a wooden beam. Dimitri clenched his nose and stumbled backwards in pain.

Dimitri angrily charged at Amy again but this time, she was ready. She picked up Arondight, and swung it straight and true. Dimitri paused and chuckled and gargled blood. Galatine fell behind Dimitri, and so did his head.

Amy breathed heavily, picking up Galatine as well and headed upstairs.

Before Merlin and Dindrane could perish up above, they noticed that all Dimitri's had stopped and shouted in defeat and before long, all of Dimitri's copies had vanished into nothingness. Amy joined her mother and the wizard and the Knottingham survivors began yelling, "Huzzah!"

"Not yet Knottingham!" Dindrane yelled, "The Acorns still need our help!"

* * *

"Hurry! In here!" Charmy yelled and both he and Saffron entered the giant Dojo of the Dragon-Shinobi Clan. It was very dark and they could not see even with their hands in front of them.

"Are you okay?" Saffron asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Charmy responded.

A light was suddenly lit from close by. It was Master Valdez, he was holding a candle.

"Master Valdez! Oh boy am I glad to see you!" Charmy walked the chameleon's way but stopped for Saffron.

"My boy," the blue chameleon started, "Why do you plan to attack the Dragons?"

"Huh?" Charmy wondered, "No! We were here to help, we were sending supplies. We wanted to stop the fighting!"

"Charmy?" Saffron shook the bee's arm.

"Not now Saff." Charmy dismissed her. "We were overrun, you must help!"

Valdez looked on sadly at the two bees, "It is too late here too." Just then something black surrounded the blue chameleon and much light appeared all around, blinding the two bees.

"Charmy!" Saffron yelled.

"No." Charmy whispered.

The two had been surrounded by all and the rest of the black creatures, half of the Golden Armada were also being changed in front of their eyes. Charmy even recognized Juanita there with them, next to Master Valdez. And the eye, that horrid eye that was Black Doom's stood in front of them and spoke. "You two as well will make a fine addition to the Black Arms."


	10. Chapter 9: The New God

**Chapter 9**

 **The New God**

The fighting always seems to go faster in writing than in reality. In person, it feels as if you are there for years, even decades. But when you take one breath, it's as if your life, and the life around you from companions, friends, family, seems to be sucked away with a straw, leaving nothing but what-if's.

Let me ask you a question or seven. If the cock crows, but no one is around, will its sound still carry out its significance? If an idea, like the tumor that it is, dies, will anyone remember? If a girl screams for help, will you hear? Let me restate the question for you to better understand. If you hear yourself scream, will you not go? Will you let yourself die? And more importantly, would you destroy the last remaining memory of all of your misfortunes? Even if it means killing an innocent child?

The Iron Will, the black, brown, and darker gray bulls had done away with most of the mist of the first level of the Alicia. But much mist was to get there, arriving from the darkening, shy clouds from above. It mixed with something awful in the sea to make that atmosphere so glacial and palpable. You could quite literally taste the cold air, slice a chunk of cloud away, set it out on a nice plate with a meal and dig in. The ships next to the Alicia had mixed with a larger fleet from the Iron Kingdom. Their ships matched and overmatched the Acorn Fleet with not only size but with cannons, crew, sails, wood, and hate.

Each time and Iron ship occupied itself with an Acorn ship, it would first rumble from the larboard, starboard or its bow. And the amounts and chunks of wood would fly off onto the sea, and on other ships close by. The first wave of Iron had completely sunk the first line with that tactic. The second line fought back but was overcome with the quantity and strength of Iron. The third line took the Iron's first line but at a cost, and it was at that time when Sonic battled the infamous Regina, the Iron Queen.

"Don't let her out of your sight!" Sally called out, still holding her bleeding arm in pain.

"That kind of takes care of itself, she's not exactly going anywhere fast. Not that she could anyway." Sonic called out, still trying to make fun of the situation.

Max veered from her rear with sword in hand, he hoped he had not been spotted by now.

"My queen!" Mrs. Helmswoman called out from above mid-swiping and sharing steel with another bull.

Sally looked up, "What?! I'm busy here!"

"There are other ships! I think they are friendly!" The chipmunk captain said as she grunted away at the other steel hitting hers.

"Ya hear that Regina! Give it up, looks like your about to lose!" Sally instigated trying to get a rise out of the fat cow lady.

"I don't think so!" Regina spat gallons of bile and chewed up food at the Acorn Queen.

"Now!" Sonic called out as he, Sally and Max from behind all charged at once at the fat queen.

With speed on her side, the Iron Queen only watched as Graal took care of the three with one swipe. It cut through to Sonic's sword, shattering it into a few pieces. It incised Sally's left side near her ribs, just enough to send her on her back. Max on the other hand was completely blocking Graal with his sword until the magic of Galahad's sword took him by surprise, sliced open his other cheek, made him lose his breath with the hilt and was now being held in the air by the queen. Graal shined white but also red on its tip as Max dangled from its steel. He tried to speak or let out some kind of a defiant, painful yell, but could only cough up red saliva.

Sally froze as she witnessed her dangling father, her eyes widened with great disbelief. It was all occurring so fast and yet so slow in her mind. A distant memory of her father flashed before her. It was a painful one. She remembered visiting him in prison, cursing him, disowning him and her from him. Sally raised her hand covering him from her sight, hoping that small gesture would save him.

Regina laughed loudly and pleasingly, she swung the old king's body away and sent him on his back near a wooden beam. He lay helpless and bleeding.

"No!" Sally screamed full of tears, crawling her way through the battlefield and reaching herself next to her father. She held his scar-filled cheek with one hand and tried waking Max up. She checked her father over, seeing a bright red open wound in his chest, still spurting out bright red. Sally attempted closing the wound with her jacket. "Max! Ma- da... dad. Da-" Sally trailed off feeling numb to the battle and everything else. She held her father's head close to her chest and began to wail.

Sonic clenched his teeth angrily and began gritting them. He began to make his palms bleed through his ripped gloves, from his tightening fists. "That's it!" He called out to the laughing queen.

"Come and get me hog!" Regina called out again pointing the very white Graal at Sonic.

The blue hedgehog sped to the queen in a matter of a second, he spun at the fat queen but Graal was there to counter. She spun around her with great velocity, Graal followed wherever he went. Sonic tried hitting the queen in every direction and every possible opening he could think of, but he did not blow a single hit on the queen, instead, Graal had managed to cut open a few of his quills, slice through his hand, and create a few bumpy sores.

Sonic retreated a few feet away, breathing heavily as he did. The blue blur could not manage to outwit the queen. It seemed Graal was just as fast if not faster than he. Sonic looked around for anything but he stopped, thinking of a clear solution. He managed to reconstitute himself and raise his arms in the air. "Alright, "He started, "I give up."

"What?" Regina asked.

"What?" Sally also asked.

"You have something up your sleeve." Regina suspected.

Sonic looked within his gloves and simply stated, "No."

"Are you insane?" Sally wondered still through quiet tears now.

"No." Sonic said, "But I think I've finally met my match." He finished still with his arms raised.

Regina laughed noisily, "That's it? You're _the_ Sonic? You're a joke!"

Sonic corrected, clearly looking at something else other than the queen, "Oh, no. I wasn't talking to you." He pointed at what Regina was holding.

"What?" Regina said very unpleasantly.

"You." Sonic stated again, clearly not very patient at how slow his opponent was being. "You, I mean, not you queeny, I mean you, Graal." He looked around to Sally making an is-she-serious?- face. "Get a load of her." She said pointing at the Iron Queen. "Oh." He apologized, "No offense, I didn't mean load… I meant, get a ton? Yes, a ton of her." He tried sizing up the queen.

"You worthless imbecile!" Regina spat back.

"Hey," Sonic looked offended, "Graal beat me, not you. Aren't you going to finish me, oh great Graal?"

"Of course!" Regina charged for the hedgehog but found that he slipped away a few feet next to her. The blue hedgehog yawned in boredom. "Fight me!" She charged again but found the same outcome. Regina lazily swung Graal but was unable to give it its usual sting or speed. Meanwhile Sally noticed what Sonic was attempting to do.

A few lazy shakes later and the large attempt of the fat lady, Regina dropped her sword and her fat self on the ship, out of breath. Sonic picked up the very white Graal as Regina yelled at him, half looking at the hedgehog, "This… isn't… over!"

"Eh, looks pretty over to me." Sonic sighed in victory, admiring Galahad's sword. He looked out to the other ships, "Those new ships, are they helping us? Hah!" He pointed at the fat queen, "I knew this wouldn't take long."

It was true, the new ships were Far Easterners battling the rest of the Legion ships and a few had started to battle Iron ships as well. The faster ships were being lead by Obasi, Espio and Salma.

Silently the fat queen began to laugh, and laugh away at something unexplainably funny.

"What is it queeny?" Sonic asked the Iron Queen, looking over her.

"You fool! I told you this was not over!" The Iron Queen did not try to get up herself but waited.

Noiselessly and without any alarm, Sonic felt a slight sting on his neck. He dropped Graal and noticed Sally was under the same predicament. She was being threatened by a small pair of knives by a spider woman dressed in black. The Bride of Endless Reach pulled the chipmunk up to meet the queen. It seemed that many of the Acorn ships were being surrounded by the three clans.

Finally the Bride of Conquering storms helped lift up the Iron queen with some of her clan sisters.

"Did I not tell you it was not over?" Regina laughed a monstrous billowy laugh again.

The Bride of Rich Nights spoke to Sonic, nearing her blade closer to his throat, "Any last words pig?"

"Uh, oh." Sonic responded looking at the coming projectile. Both he and Sally quickly ducked as the rest watched the fires in the sky.

There was a loud explosion that hit the Alicia starboard side, making a giant hole where wood and bats and spiders and lynxes and Iron Queen used to be. Sonic tasted blood on his lips, he looked around for Sally. He spotted her under a wooden beam and some tattered sail. He lifted the beam of and asked, "Sally! Are you hurt?"

Sally coughed, "What… happened?"

Sonic looked up, he himself did not know the answer until he saw it in the sky, "Eggman."

Sure enough the Egg-Maelstrom stood atop, overlooking the entire battlefield. Covering all ships with its gigantic shadow. A loud crackle could be heard in the sky coming from the massive ship, and Eggman laughed, "I couldn't have you have all the fun!"

After Eggman was done he sent a barrage and fleet of missiles to all ships alike, whether they were Acorn, Iron, Legion or Knottingham, it did not matter. The ships echoed and blew up with precise unanimity, sending chunks of animals and wood all around the Long Sea. Eggman started again over his speaker, "Thanks to these seven Chaos Emeralds, I am invincible!"

"Careful doctor!" Decoe piped in.

"Yeah doctor, you don't want to blow a casket!" Bocoe chipped in.

"Quiet!" Eggman retorted and continued a second barrage.

"Consarnit Eggman!" Sonic yelled over what was left of the gangway. Sally looked over at the changing sea.

"Sonic?" Sally asked.

Sonic looked over and saw the look of terror on the Acorn queen. She had been looking at what was the now thunderous and earthquake of the sea.

"What in the seven gods…" Sonic trailed off as he witnessed the one thing that had been there for millennia. The silent serpent, the fiendish foe… the creature.

A huge spiral and an actual maelstrom began forming from within the Long Sea and it began pulling in all ships. From within and all corners of the sea came out with great speed, massive tentacles. They were leagues high and easily touched the angry clouds up on high, which made them cry ferociously. The atmosphere turned black and wet with the coming monstrosity from down below.

The springing, spiky tentacles amassed and began reaching for the Egg-Maelstrom. Eggman could be heard struggling from his speaker and so could his robots. Eggman fired up all of his engines trying to be let loose, but the creature would not let go. Eggman tried firing a barrage but that did not help, it only angered the creature more and produced more spiky tentacles. The creature itself could be heard from below, giving off a stench most putrid and sounding as a hundred thunderstorms. Eggman finally detached his escape compartment base, pulling his other robot's escapes as well, until he was unseen higher and higher in the sky.

"Whoa." Sonic and Sally both watched and hung on as a gigantesque tentacle began to wrap itself on what was left of the Alicia. But not before long they saw Knottingham's flagship nearing them. Just then they heard and felt the splash of the Egg-Maelstrom, and it sunk with the creature. Dindrane's flagship slammed full force against the Alicia, making the tentacle let the ship go and pushing it further from the maelstrom.

Sonic quickly noticed a pink hedgehog he hadn't seen in a year. He wanted to call out to her from the other ship.

The tentacle also came back with full force and slammed on both flagships, this time they too would sink. All animals were sent overboard and into the depths. Both the Alicia and Dindrane's flagship were irreparably damaged.

The blue hedgehog was also sent into the sea next to the falling wreckage. Luckily Amy noticed him go down and was able to dive for him. As Amy entered the sea, she felt her body completely reject the water. She was unable to move because of how cold it was. Amy shook herself around, she had lost her target but she still began to swim down.

Sonic fell deeper and deeper into the ocean. Sonic felt his last breath leave his body, and the last thing he saw, was Amy, the pink hedgehog, swimming after him.

Amy finally reached the hedgehog, she was almost out of breath in that dark place. She shook her fears away, losing more breath, running out of time. Amy wrapped her arms around the blue hedgehog and began to kick, kick with all of her might.

Amy gasped loudly as she reached the surface and quickly tried to reach for a wooden flotation device. The wood was large enough to climb on but she could not lift Sonic all the way. His head was still below the surface. She cried as she tried lifting again. This time she went underwater and pushed from there, lifting the hedgehog onto the wooden debris. She looked at him with pause. He wasn't moving. Amy slapped him. Nothing.

"Sonic." Amy tried. "Sonic." She tried again. "Sonic! Sonic! Sonic!" Still there was nothing. And he and she were still. Amy checked behind her. Galatine and Arondight still clung close to her belt. Amy began paddling with one hand and checking for Sonic's pulse with the other. "Don't!" She cried as she began pushing with her hand on his chest. Amy must have been there for ten minutes until she began paddling again.

She was suddenly spooked as she something white coming at her. It clung loudly next to her, next to Galatine. She looked over, it was… another sword. She shook her head still paddling, maneuvering away from debris, dead animals, and all the wood in the world.

"Sonic!" She called out to him again a few minutes later. "I won't… let you go." Amy began to feel tears well up in her. Her chest became agitated, her hair seemed to stand up in all that water.

Hours later, Amy saw behind her, the last remnants of ships being sucked down by that horrid thing. "Mother…" She whispered, "Merlin… Sonic." She began to tremble violently and felt that her legs were no longer kicking with great speed.

Come nighttime, Amy never did let go of Sonic, but perhaps she did let go of a few vestiges of hope and sanity for that moment. Even in the dark she could still hear people… dying, screaming, and calling out for help. But what could she do for them now? Amy was also dying in the freezing and lowering temperatures of the sea.

 _This is it,_ she thought, _this… is how we both die._ Amy closed her eyes, she only saw Sonic in her mind's eye. But she had finally given up. Everyone was dead, to her. And she soon would be dead too.

Amy opened her eyes, she could see him there, pathetic and motionless. Perhaps it was time to let him go, all over again. Again, and again. That's all she ever did those days.

Amy witnessed an unbearable truth being fed to her from the new god and from its depth-filled home. For the new god, like its many brothers, sang a song of woe, a song that whispered, and a song that made the mind ache until there was no more sanity. And that servant of the Faceless One- the new god, whispered its name to the young hedgehog, a name that would forever be chiseled in the farthest deeps of her dying, corrupted mind,

 _N'Zoth._

Amy closed her eyes. It seemed peaceful now. Maybe this was the other side. Amy felt her pruned fingers letting go of the wood. She opened her eyes. There was a light.

 **End of Part 1**


	11. Chapter 10: Terrene

**Part 2  
The Beginning**

 **Chapter 10**

 **Terrene**

Just as before, something had happened. It was odd in all of its simplicity and complexity. It was something that should not have happened but did anyway. Maybe it was predestined to occur. Needless to say, this is my biggest clue, and I cannot find anything more credible, or palpable. Sure, there was talk, a few rumors here and there from other times, but nothing substantial. Until one day, came… a boy, a stranger, a girl. It's too complex, and I still can't prove any of it, and I can't find him. Just the boy, not the stranger. He is the only answer to this… phenomenon. He can fix this.

And now other things occur. A certain occasion that needs my full cooperation and attention. Others have been called as well, but, I hope I'm not too late. So, as before, I leave you again to tend to this dire need. You'll see me again this time.

Something did indeed happen. The weather changed from a warm summery climate to a cold and monstrous, windy and cloudy day. Frame by frame, instant by instant, rock by rock, the moon changed.

It not longer held a beautifying, consistent shape of white rock and surface. It was... different. But also the same dark star from eons ago. The left half of the white planet seemed fine, and even brighter than ever. The other half was not so lucky. Just moments ago, just as an earthquake produces a loud and powerful rumble from within you and the earth, it too gave off a seismic energy and force of a thousand volcanoes erupting in the sky. The dark star changed, but also erupted. And the sky bled because of _he_ who makes the sky fall.

And finally… a girl, _the_ girl you've met so many times, the twelve-week old child, a child with yellowish hair, and neon green eyes which glowed in the dark, a Seedrian like her mother, the one that would and will take back- what is rightfully hers, Terrene, stood outside, marveled and frightened at the scene of the moon's shattering.

Terrene was a mirror image of her mother. She wore a crimson dress followed by sun-colored petals. A dress of her mother's too big for her, and the dress' yellow petals drooped on the mucky, brown colored grass she stood on. She eyed the white star in the sky, placing both of her tiny hands on her mouth, unrecognizing the complete severity and extremity of the situation. Even being a newborn, she was half the size of her mother. And her very thin, yellowish hair waved away from her, a pattern picked up by the wind.

The little baby found little consolation with all eight of her fingers on her mouth, but she felt a new wave of di-oxy marbon enter through her pores and found that the relaxation she needed.

"I must not be scared." Truly the newborn was unlike anything that had ever been born. She was not full plant or even completely animal. Her species did not exist, but it was a miracle and a half that she did. She tried thinking of something else, but dread only filled her. She needed her father, but she could not call for his name, she was frozen in shock. Her six puny toes were even being surrounded by even tinier creatures with many legs, but she still had not the courage to move.

"I just… can't be scared." She repeated, feeling something move up her arm. It felt cold and stung for a few seconds. The girl shrieked when she heard the thunderous roar of lightning. "Da- I ca-" Terrene felt a sudden wave of ice penetrate her head and could no longer see clearly. She began to tumble and fall but not before something caught her.

"I've got you sweetie."

Terrene opened her eyes, it didn't do much good- it was pitch black. This was all so strange, she didn't even remember how she got there in the first place. But nonetheless, she began to travel through the darkness, uncertain of what was in it. She noticed she was being covered, maybe shielded by a thin veil of dark or shadow, it wrapped around her like a cape.

And then she saw him.

He was just as surprised as she was. His voice shook her soul and every fiber that made her trembled with fear as he spoke, "You."

"Daddy!" Terrene yelled out as she came to.

"I'm here Terrene." A soft voice came for the girl. "Daddy's here." Miles effortlessly picked up her daughter and cradled her in his arms. He immediately placed his tails near Terrene's way. He knew she enjoyed playing with them.

The girl looked around. She saw the familiar dark, decrepit and rotting wood around her. Her home always looked that bad, but it still was home, and it was still so huge to her. They were downstairs in the living area. Miles had placed a small candlelight in the center of the room. There it lit most of the room, all of the fireplace, the wall and window they leaned on, a little of the door but almost nothing of the kitchen. Each quadrant of the house had its own personality and yet all shared the same trait of rot.

Miles was a young, yellow fox with twin tails. His eyes were blue and his voice was soft. His skin and fur looked rugged but bright. He began to take off his sneakers until he felt a sting of hot and ice prickle through his side, he winced louder than he wanted to, and it caught the attention of his daughter. Miles grabbed at his side and his long scar in pain and peered over it. It was still closed, but with every passing month, it felt and seemed as if it was opening and tearing itself through his tendered skin. The little girl looked up at her father with a slightly frightened glare.

"What?" Miles asked, pausing as he stared back at the seedling. He noticed his question was forthright and brusque, which made Terrene look away in disappointment and embarrassment. The little girl dug her head in the bulbous yellow tails, trying not to care so much. Concerned for a moment, Miles neatly brushed and organized her thin hair but was reminded of his daughter's outright disobedience. He finished placing his sneakers and socks away from him and hardened his eyebrows and mildly clenched his teeth. "You were outside again."

Terrene opened her eyes inside of the tailed fur and hesitated giving a simple and immediate response. Her light-green blood chilled momentarily. Guiltily she closed her eyes again and pressed harder on his tails.

Seeing as to his daughter not responding, Miles pretended like she hadn't just ignored him and continued his rebuke, "I told you never to go outside while I'm gone."

"But daddy!-" Terrene blurted without thinking.

"No Terrene!" Miles yelled, he felt he had even spat along with his exiting tantrum. He leaned back on the wood below the window of the living area, noticing his daughter had gone back inside the comfort of his much fur. He started to feel panicked and uncomfortable, even lightheaded. The fox felt his forehead, and then checked his pulse. He looked up at the dark ceiling, symbolically looking for someone's guidance. Miles scratched his chin, he realized in the twelve weeks he had been gone from home his fur had begun to wildly grow out of control, he hadn't trimmed in even longer than that. "You don't know what's out there."

"Do you?" Terrene mumbled.

"Excuse me missy?" Miles asked. In truth, he had barely seen what was out there, hunting them.

Terrene looked up, eager to quiet down, but she almost could not stop herself, "I was afraid. I heard a noise and I thought-."

The fox studied the girl's emotion clearly and concisely, noting the simple yet inexorable changes in mannerisms and face alterations in his daughter. "Well, you should have told me that to begin with."

Once, a long time ago as a seedling, Terrene hated hating, but now, it was different, and she could not help the feeling that she was being looked down on and blamed for little or no legitimate reasons. She started, closing her eyes, "I was trying to tell you."

"Trying to tell me what?" Miles asked taking off his sneakers. "I noticed you were outside."

The girl shook her head in confusion, "What? No, I was trying to tell you that I was afraid because I heard a noise, and you weren't coming."

The fox unclenched his teeth realizing leaving his daughter alone, and the mix of the cataclysm in the sky, was probably terrifying for her, "I'm sorry I snapped." Miles cleared his throat and leaned back on the soft wood, "But rules are rules, I told you never to go outside without me."

Terrene looked down, defeated, "Yeah, you said that twice now."

Miles stopped and thought of why she would say that.

"What happened to the dark star?" Terrene did not realize the term she had used. "Does it explain why I've been so sick?"

Miles was not familiar with the term- he had never called the moon that or taught that to his daughter, "You mean the moon?" The fox had nothing to explain the travesty in the sky, the phenomenon was beyond him, "I don't know Terrene. But you've been sick because there hasn't been much sunlight these past few days."

"That's really sad, for the moon I… mean." Terrene nodded off.

The fox felt bags under his eyes as he stroked them painfully and anxiously. It was moments like these when he scolded himself for not bringing proper and mundane objects from his house, such as a simple pillow. His one pack would have to do, so he set it above his head, resting it inside the window frame. He suddenly felt a fast paced rhythm of breathing coming below between his tails. His daughter's pores had begun to open slightly and increase their intake of breath. He had also noticed, when she would fall asleep, she would sweat profusely. He wondered how much of Terrene was normal. Miles never once met another like Cosmo, so he had nothing to compare Terrene with- just her mother, aside from the robotic Lucas and his lackeys.

The yellow fox began to drift coldly, slowly, and silently. It was a long day, and the coming day would be even longer. "I miss you." He said while closing his eyes. He mumbled, "I can't… do it without you Cosmo, I'm a bad…"

At will, Terrene had increased her rapid breathing. Eavesdropping on her father was normal to her now. She had, numerous times, seen him speak to himself outside through a window. Although, she noticed he was precise to never speak to himself in the rotting house. Terrene knew who her father was pretending to talk to. She knew all of them from when she was a small seedling. She would think of their names before she went to bed. She thought of them as distant friends who she thought missed her, and would love to know her. But that would be asking too much, probably according to her father. Cream, _Sonic, Amy, Knuckles, Chris, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Rouge, Eggman, Decoe, Bocoe, Bokkun, and my favorite, Mephiles._ To her, he had taken care of her better than her father ever did, or could. There was of course, her mother, which she would never name, and which she once mistook for being Cream. That was how much her mother was never there. Miles had to tell her that the sweet rabbit was not her mother. How would she know? She only got a good glimpse of her "real" mother, but not for long. And what did she care? She wasn't there.

Terrene hated her mother, almost as much as she hated her father. Hate was everything she sometimes knew. It fueled her more than water ever could. It enriched her more powerful than the sunlight. It gave her reason to think, reason to breathe, and for such a small girl, it gave her reason to be. And for all that, Terrene… Terrene…

"You. It is you. The one that would defy _Me_."

She heard a crack, and something ripped open through Terrene's chest as she gasped and realized she was awake. Her tall eyelids flapped up and down as she checked herself all over. Nothing seemed the matter, not counting the serious dread she felt within. Her light surroundings told her it was morning. She peered outside a window where she lay, the sun was still being blocked, which probably meant she would be sick today as well.

Terrene looked around. Her home was a sad excuse. There were cracks everywhere, the upstairs had been boarded up years ago, but she sometimes slipped in and used it as her own private room. The kitchen looked more of fireplace than the actual fireplace. There was no furniture, no tables, no chairs, nothing remotely comfortable like she remembered Miles' old house to be. And definitely nothing like his other metal home. That part of her life she remembered so vividly. She had spent so much of her time, alone, forgotten by that fox that called himself her father, below his dresser. He had thrown her there in a fit of rage, forgetting her, yelling about her mother. How pitiful he was at that time. And then she was taken back there all over again, to almost relive that hell. Luckily, Mephiles was there to save her, and take care of her, look after her, caress her, when no one would address her or even believe she was real- a living thing.

She looked at her father. He lay motionless. This should have worried her more if it wasn't for the happy thought of his untimely death. She would treasure that moment until the day she died. And death was all too real for her. She had already witnessed her mother's death. It wouldn't be crazy to think that this too would happen to her father, and then, to herself. But Death did no such thing, instead, he mocked her, he spat in her face and made her live and relive the very moments she would always regret, with her father.

 **(For me, not for reader.) Cream's birthday is on October. Terrene's birthday is on August. Right now, it's June.**

Terrene got up, stepped over his bulbous yellow tails and watched as Miles lay there. Tiny as she was, she could still hold such and much grudge. Was it normal to feel this way? Terrene did not know as she asked herself that. It was as if part of her conscience had not yet awakened, being the twelve-week-old that she was. And that (twelve-week-old thing) was another thing her father did not completely understand. Technically, Terrene was forty weeks old, so, approximately, almost three months, give or take eight weeks, or almost one year. She could fathom her real age, apparently Miles could not.

The little girl turned around too quickly and found herself tripping on the two giant tails and landed face flat on the soft yet still painful rotting wood. "Ow." Terrene picked herself up and held her now very swollen mouth. The fox looked around crazily, expecting some sort of attack from a malicious source, only to find that the seedling was standing over him.

He should have been more worried about her, "Terrene!" He scolded angrily and still exasperated, " _Why,_ did you wake me?"

Terrene stepped back, she knew her punishment was coming, it was just a miracle and a half for her that Miles did not drink the night before -a secret stash he found between a compartment of the kitchen, only a few days into moving in.

The fox struggled to get up and now towered over the girl, "Are you going to answer me young lady?"

Terrene couldn't help it, she had to, she no longer felt the protection she needed, she was vulnerable.

Miles lost it, "Answer me!"

The little seedling began to whimper quietly. _Why,_ she thought, _Why me?_

Miles too felt the severity of his scolding, held his head in utter anger and proceeded to yell and shout incomprehensibly while leaving the dying edifice. When he slammed the door behind him, Terrene gasped and her body was sent into a shrill panic. She could still hear him outside, yelling about something, unsure of what, until it got quieter and quieter.

The poor, defenseless, tear-shedding, Terrene closed her eyes, still quietly gasping, mumbled, "I- h-ha-te you." True, the seedling hated her father, and she even hated her mother. But Terrene mostly hated herself. And it was those three hyphenated words that helped the seedling forget about her decaying life, even if it was for just… one… Terrene… Terrene…

This time, Terrene definitely remembered going to sleep. She hoped it wasn't like the last, but to her disappointment, she looked beyond where she was, and beheld a great void. The little seedling felt the warm comfort of the same blackened cloak that had surrounded and shielded her before. Without it, she probably would not go any further. But now, with this object, it gave her confidence to explore. She swam through the howling dark and pictured an area of lifelessness. Six pillars stood parallel and opposite to each other, it seemed she stood on a floating rock. For each respective pillar, there were six thrones adjacent to the pillars. And for each throne, in front of them, were six woven baskets. Terrene felt a force glue her feet back on the ground, she did not mind it, and she approached the six pillars. She wanted to extend her hands in front of her, she knew something was wrong, but her cloak gave her another surge of great confidence.

Terrene walked to the first pillar, admired its craft and glow and symbols. She sat on the throne, mighty and too big for her. And finally, she looked inside the woven basket. She saw a head, without a body. She froze, her tiny fingers chilled and stood out in all directions. She tried to look away, but could not. She was compelled to see the bodiless head. It was of a human girl, much like Chris, she remembered. The seedling's feet walked without her permission, on to the next pillar opposite of the last. There was, sure enough, another head. This one was of a human boy. The next three pillars were oddly similar. One was of a red animal, much like her "uncle" Sonic (that's how Miles put it), only her head was shielded by something… shiny. The other was the face of an older man with scars, but Terrene was certain this was no human, this was something different, as if it was trying to appear as a human- a man pretending to be a man. The third was a mystery, but was also a boy… a boy of metal. Why was the third a mystery? Because he decided to hide something.

Lastly, Terrene found her way to the sixth pillar, throne, and woven basket. Terrene recognized the final head- someone she knew, and finally her legs responded to her. She cried out but found that more difficult than running away. Her cloak helped her rise up into the black air once more and the vision of the floating rock shimmered away.

Terrene's journey was coming to a sudden halt. She beheld a red mist. The mist was welcoming. The mist was alluring. The mist was everything. Her cloak began to glow a bright periwinkle in every direction.

The mist had eyes, and it looked upon the very small seedling. The red eyes followed wherever she went, the red eyes saw exactly what she saw. The redness smiled and bellowed a thunderous chuckle and spoke, "You. It is you, the one that would defy _Me_?"

The little girl found confidence where she lacked in her life, "Me? That… depends. Are you a good mist? Or are you bad?"

The red mist bellowed another chuckle and shook the little girl's atoms, "What do you call yourself, confident little one?"

For the first time in her very short life, she was proud to say her name, "Terrene."

"Terrene." The voice whispered and it rang a thousand times over and over and over. "You must understand, confident, little, Terrene," The voice paused and was greatly amused by this new thing that had wandered in his realm unannounced, "there is not good, there is not bad."

"Then what is there? If there is no good, and if there is no bad?" Terrene questioned the bodiless figure.

The red mist was gladdened she asked and smiled, "There is only… _Me_."

Terrene screamed atop her storage sacs, she finally awoke from the nothingness and found she was still in her home. She shivered and began to hyperventilate.

"It's alright Terrene breathe. But not too much. If you breathe enough of that you may drown."

The seedling obeyed and tried to recover her sanity from the awful nightmare. Her breathing pattern normalized.

"There, there, that wasn't so bad."

Terrene was glad her father was there to help her, for once in his life. She found it easier to breathe as she closed her eyes and concentrated on his voice. When Terrene opened them, she looked around for Miles. To her surprise he was nowhere in the house. She got up, alarmed that had heard someone's voice, but there was no one there. She looked at the kitchen- still black. She looked up at the stairs- still boarded. _Where is he?_ She thought as she walked lightly to a window next to the door. This was the window she always looked out of, and luckily she was tall enough to see completely through it. Being forbidden to go outside as she was, it really took quite the mental toll on her. To know that there was something out there made her want to castigate all the more towards Miles. All she could see and was allowed to see was a very tall and green-looking, plain, grass. That was farther out. Closer to the house, the grass seemed to die and have a paler color. She noticed the few times she was outside that they were completely surrounded by bog, bugs and boringness.

She thought of the voice for another moment, maybe she was still dreaming somehow. The nightmare she just experienced was all too symbolic and creepy, it might as well have been about one of Miles' pointless lessons. True it was palpable, but her dreams were usually nightmares, so it didn't faze her as much.

The seedling noticed something new, growing tall alongside the grass. It was long but thin, and at the head there was a black or brown spot surrounded by little yellow things. She wondered if that was a new species of grass. She wide-eyed stared at her dress, _maybe there's a connection?_ Her yellow petal dress did match the color, and she was some kind of a plant, she thought. _Maybe it's a flower… I wonder how it can grow in a swamp._

Terrene wished she could go outside and see this new grass thing up close. She dare not go outside on her own and then be yelled at again. But maybe her father would find some food and be glad of it, leaving her the perfect opportunity to ask if she could go outside this time. She felt an ache in her chest. She hated being sick, she blamed that on Miles too. There never was enough water for her and her father. And the food that Miles enjoyed, Terrene simply detested. It didn't even feel right going in her mouth, and it felt even worse coming out from it.

Looking up at the sky, she noticed she had slept longer than she anticipated. It was already getting dark. Being sick also meant she would sleep most of the day. And it made her clothes very wet, because of the sweat, just not stinky like Miles, only wet. Deciding to go upstairs to her room, she was stopped mid-stairs by the sound of the door opening. She peered over the wall leading the stairs, the fox had returned. But as always, with a sour look on his face. Maybe this wasn't good news for Terrene.

"Terrene where are you?" The father fox called out, peering to and fro, making his way to the living area and setting down his pack.

She sighed, "I'm here." She made her way down and sat next to the pack. Her inquisitiveness caught the better of her and she pried upon the pack, "Did you find anything?"

The fox sighed, "No, so that means we get to eat your favorite meal."

Terrene winced and pouted, straining her face muscles. "Can't I just have water?"

"It's not enough, you need more." Miles sat next to his daughter as he handed her a very hard piece of food she despised. She stuck out her tongue. "Uh-uh, we don't do that to food. What do we say?"

"Th-mr-mt-ful." Terrene muttered.

"I'm sorry what?" Miles stuck out his large ear ceremoniously, as if he had done this a million times.

"That we're grateful." She said disdainfully, which made the fox smile. She dug in with her little teeth and was unable to break it completely, and she made the same face as before. Her pores filtered in something rancid smelling from the food. "Gross."

"Its bread honey, it's not that bad." Miles chuckled as he lit the same candle as the night before. There was still light out, maybe she would ask...

She gulped down a part of the bread, stuck out her tongue again and cleared her throat. She still was not able to tell him, would he yell at her? He didn't seem in that bad a mood. "I uh." She looked over to him, he hadn't heard. Maybe she shouldn't, I mean after all it was just some stupid grass thing. He had pulled out a small pad of paper and had begun to draw on it. He would sometimes write gibberish but other times he would draw, flowers, the house, and many times he would just do… you know who.

"Here." Without looking, the fox handed her his piece of bread. She looked at it and then at him.

"Aren't you going to eat?" She wondered.

He shook his head, "Mm not hungry."

This was a bold faced lie, it had to be. She remembered all of her lost friends would eat continuously, and that's all they pretty much did with pattern. Part of Terrene did worry so she asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." He said more calmly than usual, even sweetly. Oh this had to be the perfect chance to ask.

For him, she dug into another piece and with her other hand played vigorously with her hair, always making a knot and letting it go, "W-well… I was, going… to ask you…" She winced away shyly. When she looked at him he was humming to himself, perhaps she really was in the clear on this one. "I wanted to go outside." She said finally and rapidly.

Miles stopped and seemed to be looking outside, lost in thought for a moment. His features turned crisp and downtrodden once more, "No." He whispered.

"But daddy!" She pleaded.

"I said no." He said a bit more displeasing.

Terrene was lost again in rage, "It's not fair."

"Terrene, I think it's time you go upstairs to your room." Miles said unenthusiastically. Her eyes widened, she knew what that meant and she dare not say anything in return. She began to climb the stairs but hung back and waited mid-step. It was dark enough on the stairway that she was not seen. Miles made his way to the kitchen, there was a familiar sound of wood opening and closing and he sat back down next to his pack. She saw the same bottle he always got.

It was moments like those that Terrene feared for her safety. It was only a few times that it got out of hand, she saw him yelling, once hurting himself. She tried stopping him and he nearly beat her. He was that close, it never came to that but she did fear him when he drank that stuff. She dare not even go back down, or stay there any longer. She knew how it would end. With him crying himself to sleep. She didn't want to see that. Even that made her sad, for her father. Sure enough she hated him, but she still cared… somewhat. Maybe it was simply pity. She finished climbing upstairs, lucky for her, the wood was too wet to creak or make any other unwanted noise.

"I missed you today." She heard him say from below.

When she opened her door, which was next to two others, one to the right, one to the left, and a bathroom farther out to the left, her pores smelled the freshness and the same welcome it always had. There was a bed, circular, small, just her size. There was a dresser pushed alongside the window, a closet with nothing in it. And her favorite part of being in her home, a tall library filled with books and books everywhere, lined on the wall close to her bed. She loved her stories with everything she had. She stepped over to her library and grazed some of the books at her eye level with her fingers. She climbed on her bed and just stared at the many pages. Perhaps she would read a new one tomorrow, and finish about seven she had already started. She especially wanted to read the one about… Arthur and…his…

Terrene.

Terrene.

"Terrene."


	12. Chapter 11: I, We, You, Me

**Chapter 11**

 **I, We, You, Me**

"Do not worry yourself little one, I have called for assistance." The disembodied, deep voice was enough to send chills through Terrene. She had never heard this presence before, but perhaps in another forgotten nightmare, or another world. She was not anywhere, she could not see what was before her, but the voice kept her grounded. Feeling her guarding cape once more, she shook this new voice away.

"Begone impertinent spirit." This voice she did recognize, it was the same as before. Much like her father, maybe like a fatherly voice, very sure of itself. Just as the familiar voice commanded with ease, the other disembodied spirit ceased to fill the tender and small mind of the seedling.

"Gah." Terrene gasped quietly, raising her head from her roundish pillow, not knowing for the moment where she was. The sleeveless girl felt a white shiver run down her back and she held her arms in defiance of the cold. She looked around and felt the same heavy feeling on the back of her head. This feeling forced her to tense up and look down as if downtrodden, only she felt the always-annoying deep sickness.

 _Who was that?_ She wanted to ask aloud but felt she didn't need to. It was all for nothing, the worry, the nightmare, nothing, just nothing. She looked up at the window next to her- still daytime. Lifting herself up on her bed, she peeked outside. The moon was still shattered for some unexplainable reason, so she had not imagined that. She looked down, her brown and yellow grass thing was still there, waiting for her, for it to be touched. She noticed the grass thing and the tall grass were shifting wildly. With the sun gone, the wind had made its way there, pushing everything to one specific direction.

Terrene looked at her library. Had she the energy to even read? She hoped so, reading meant everything to her. It filled her tiny mind with pictures, and those pictures moved and swirled around making life in a world she would love to live in. And there were so many to read too! There were red books, blue books, white books, large books, medium books, tall books,-

"Round books, small books, and even triangular ones."

The seedling paused. She had not opened her mouth, but she had clearly thought the words, and heard them out loud. Terrene suspiciously and widely-eyed look around at the door, leaning as she did on her bed she thought her father was about to enter the room. "Daddy?"

No answer came to the interested girl. Should she be more concerned? She didn't seem to mind.

"I did not want to mention it but… about the dream…"

Terrene looked around, walked to her closet, opened it, but nothing. She peeked through a small crack of her bedroom door but found that her father was not there, in fact she heard him snoring downstairs.

"You should not listen to him."

"Uh." Terrene awed but found no real words to express.

"Never mind, I knew I should not have mentioned it. Who am I?"

The voice had perceived it before Terrene could even say it. She tried, "Y-yes?" She gave the response but it sounded more as a question.

"Well, who would you like me to be?"

Terrene looked around again, was her father playing a trick on her? "I, I- I don't know. Where are you?"

"I am here." The voice sounded as if it was behind her.

She looked but found no one. "Where?" She asked.

"Right here." The voice resounded in her mind that time.

"I don't understand." The girl felt that deep inside she did understand, which made her contradict herself and made her even more confused.

"I see. Do you have a mirror?"

"What's that?" Terrene asked shyly.

"This might be a problem then."

The seedling looked down as if saddened, she did not quite comprehend this voice. Perhaps it was in her mind, was that normal for animals? Or plants for that matter?

"I did not mean to make you feel this way. I will leave."

"What?" Terrene asked, but not knowing who she was asking it to. "No, no." The seedling, for the first time in many weeks felt that she was not alone. "Please… stay."

"Then I will stay… because you asked that of me."

The seedling had a million and a half questions, she found it easy to think of something to say to this new… individual.

"Whatever you want me to be, yes, all the time, just now, and definitely not red. I think purple suits me best." The voice seemed to be chuckling.

"Wait." Terrene puzzled through her answered questions. She sat on the very wet wood in the center of her room. "Don't do that!"

The voice chuckled again, "I will wait then."

"Okay," Terrene giggled, "Who are you, um, were you here the whole time, um, when did you get here, um, what's your favorite color?" Even as she looked nowhere in particular she first envisioned the body of her father, but found that odd, then she shaped this voice to be of a friendlier fashion, and definitely one that would be nicer to her and would let her go outside.

"Is it my turn?"

"Um, sure." Terrene felt nervous, so she began to make a knot with her hair.

"What is your name?"

Terrene felt peace in her heart, and something warm in her bosom she had not felt since she was back in her father's old home. "Terrene." She answered shyly but thought, _why do I feel that?_

"Terrene. That is a lovely name."

"Thank you." Terrene answered, feeling warmer.

"Do you know what it means?"

"I think daddy said it means the planet." Terrene cocked her head to her side as if admiring this new companion.

"Interesting."

"Do you really think so?" The seedling genuinely wondered. She never had someone else tell her nice things, or think her name was interesting.

"I do Terrene."

"So," She started, "What's _your_ name?" The voice paused, in her mind and everywhere else. Had she spooked him? She hoped she had not. In the silence, the seedling found worry and anguish. She hated- absolutely hated being alone!

This time, when the voice responded, he sounded hurt, filled with self-defense, and part of her anguish seemed to rub off on him, "I- I don't know."

Terrene thought about this. How awful that must be, to not know one's name. She completely sympathized with the individual. She wanted to love him and hug him until he didn't feel alone, as she did often. "I'm sorry." She felt that her words meant nothing to him, how could she understand him? He was still and did not respond for another few seconds. "Well I-" She started, "I think if you had a name it would be lovely too." Sweetly, as the words grazed her lips, the voice returned and softened her insides once more.

"That feels, good."

"Yeah." Terrene smiled at nothing in particular, and yet at her new companion. "Well, what do you want to be called?" She thought of the vague answer he had given her before, "And what did you mean by whatever I wanted you to be?"

"I- I am sorry, I have no recollection of that."

"But you-" Terrene wanted to remind the voice but stopped herself.

The voice continued, "I would like to be called a name."

This made Terrene giggle. The individual's verbiage was most enjoyable, and odd. She thought for a moment for a good name that might fit, but she could only remember her forgotten friend's names. "What about, Knuckles?"

"Hmm, like the bones above your fingers? I think that would be very silly."

Terrene looked at her own four-fingered appearance of knuckles, "Oh yeah!" She laughed. "Hmm, what about, Chris?"

"I think that would make me sound like a whiny brat."

Terrene laughed louder, "They do kind of sound like that! Okay… what about, Sonic?"

"And sound like a hyper hamster?"

Terrene laughed.

"What about," The voice wondered sternly, "Miles?"

Terrene stopped. Her stares were only filled with mean, regretful wrinkles. "I don't like that."

"It was only a thought."

She looked saddened again.

The voice started as if to say a deepening concern but stopped himself twice, "I know you miss your friends, but I'm sure you'll see them again."

Terrene looked even grimmer than before, "I don't have any friends."

"Well… you have me Terrene."

Terrene's eyes widened with much happiness, "Really? You're my friend now?"

The voice smiled within her, "Yes Terrene, I am your friend now."

From cheek to cheek the seedling's smile widened ever larger, "What about Friend?"

The voice paused but seemed to like the idea, "I like the idea."

"I dub thee, Friend, Knight of the uh… purple!" Terrene giggled at herself.

"Where did you learn that?" Friend wondered.

Shyly she shook the thought away, "My books." She pointed at her tall library.

Friend sighed, something weighed heavily on him, but even he could not identify it, "I do not think I have ever read one."

"Really!?" Shocked to hear this, Terrene jumped from her spot, picked her favorite book and lay back on the wet ground. "As my new friend, you have to read this with me!"

"I'll try." Friend feared he wouldn't be able to, but he attempted anyway as she opened the massive book.

Terrene would always lay her stomach on the floor when she read, she found this was the best way to read, and the only way of course. She had perfected the reading system by now, and it was easy. She quickly remembered she had a guest and turned the book over on its cover to show him the title. She read, "The True King Under Aman." She also read below, "The New Covenant as bestowed by King Arthur." Friend seemed to be paying close attention, so she continued as she turned the first few pages. "Emergence. The following text is a written account of our lord King Arthur Pendragon by his Knights of the Round Table. Let it be known to the faithless of all the land and all who would heresy the church: As we embark upon this world, a world set forth by our five gods, and our most beloved God Aman, treacherous as you are and as you were born, misery as you giveth and as you taketh, repent, and let our lord atone for your vile transgression, he sayeth unto you, be thou reborn. In the name of Aman the Father, hear thine prayer, in the name of Ranoe the Mother, give you life, in the name of Norgann the Brother of Dreams, give you sleep, in the name of Khaphotron the Builder, forge you a home, in the name of Golgann, cover you with sky, in the name of the godless Aggramm, avenge you, in the name of the godless Sargas, defend you. Aman give you back the mantle."

The seedling looked up as if to look up at Friend and she spoke, "Do you like it?"

"I must say I am intrigued, but a bit confused." Friend glared at the large and very strange text.

"It's okay, you'll get it, this isn't even the fun part!" Terrene could barely hold in her excitement. "I can skip a few pages if you want to, and then you'll meet my favorite character."

"Let me guess." Friend chuckled warmly, "Is it the great King Arthur Pendragon?"

Terrene shook her head, "Close." She bit her lip whilst smiling and turned a few pages. "Instructions… end of Emergence… more instructions… Ooh, Excalibur, the wizard Merlin,… the three wizards… Arthur's youth… I love this part, his brother Sir Kay is probably my second favorite. But he's not like his real brother, but yeah, he's amazing!"

"Hmm." Friend admired.

Terrene continued, "Early Camelot… here we go, Knights of the Round Table. The Knights of the Round Table, including King Arthur were amongst the best fighters and most loyal knights in all of Camelot, they include: Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, Sir Percival, Sir Bors, Sir Olgivile, Sir Lamorak, Sir Kay, Sir Gareth, Sir Gaheris, Sir Galahad, Sir Tristan, Sir Agravain, Sir Ector, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Gingalain, Sir Morien, and Sir Tor. All other knights were led by Sir Olgivile in a separate Round Table. This is the first account according to Sir Lancelot." Terrene sighed affectionately.

"I see." Friend started, "This must be the one."

"Yeah." Terrene giggled as she followed along, "It was the first day of Everbloom. The new kingdom was built upon Northamer, the great continent of the west, built in the eastern shores. Camelot stood atop a hill overlooking the Long Sea. Our King, the true King of the land, King Arthur Pendragon, my forever lord, commanded we unite the neighboring kingdoms into one united Round Table. There were fewer of us then. There was only King Pellinore, Sir Gawain His son (as the King insisted), Sir Percival, Sir Olgivile, Sir Lamorak, Sir Galahad, Sir Ector His father (as the King insisted), Sir Kay His brother (as the King insisted), Sir Gareth, Sir Gaheris and myself. The King's trust also met with us that day, the three wizards. We were told of a great danger arising from the north, the two evil wizards had come again to torment the lives of the innocents. As my lord as witness, I vowed that day to eviscerate the evil that corrupted our world and threatened the lives of countless ages of innocents. And never again would they terrorize, for Arondight, my greatsword and lifeline would end them." Terrene read that last sentence as if Sir Lancelot himself had read it, and she stuck her arm in the air as if raising Arondight. She quickly got to reading again and memorized and traced her finger along the drawing of Arondight next to the text. It was in fact a greatsword, a very large sword with a red jewel at the center of the base of the steel. "Isn't he the best?"

"He certainly sounds like it." Friend agreed.

Terrene stopped reading and sat again, "Do you like it?" She hoped with all her might that her new friend loved this story as much as she did. She really didn't want to turn him off of the whole idea. When the voice said nothing, Terrene worried, "Friend? Are you there?"

"I love it Terrene, because you love it." Friend genuinely agreed. This made the girl smile widely again.

The seedling returned to the book, "I really like their swords. So, apparently when Arthur broke his sword he was supposed to give Caliburn to Sir Olgivile but then he didn't for some reason, and then he gave it to his son Mordred. Arondight was given to Lancelot and he had the amazing idea to place the jewels in the swords. You see, I think he and the wizard Nimue created the jewels from a dying star, I think. I know all of the swords, and they are fascinating!"

"You have a great vocabulary for one so young." Friend pointed out making the girl blush.

"I think it's because I like to read a lot." Terrene smiled as she jumped up again to grab another one of her favorite books. "I also love this one!" The book was smaller in comparison to the other one, but still was lengthy and had no drawings. She read the title to Friend as she held it in the air, "Capitulation Through Anarchy." And below she read, "Doctor Finitevus. I find his wisdom inspiring, but oddly terrifying, and oh so very real!"

"He sounds like he's made quite the impact on you." Friend chuckled, not knowing who this animal was. Terrene nodded, and as she held the book in the air, another, significantly smaller book fell onto her lap. Both she and Friend stared at the small book with a picture of a blue planet. Terrene stopped and stared at her lap, hate rising from within her again.

"What's this?" Friend asked.

"It's nothing." Terrene snapped and pushed the small book aside.

"Are you certain-"

"I said it's nothing!" Terrene finally yelled. When she realized what she had done she whimpered lightly, "I- I'm sorry, Friend, please don't go." The girl held her legs and her yellow petal dress. She placed both of her hands on her yellow and orange ear-like buds. She began to breathe erratically, "Please do- don't- I-."

"Terrene, I am still here. I will never leave you." Friend promised.

As he promised, the seedling felt warmth all around her as if she was being covered by a soft and billowy blanket. She ceased her incessant pattern of breath and felt a few tears drop on her yellow dress.

When he noticed Terrene had quietly calmed a bit, Friend thought of something that might cheer her up, "Would you like to go outside with me?"

Terrene felt her spirits rise as he asked the question. The seedling had never been more grateful for a friend, and this time, this friend knew she was actually there, and would not abandon her. "Yes." She sniffed as she was helped up. Leaving the books behind she opened her door with another creak and softly, slowly, but surely scaled downstairs, hoping not to wake Miles. She supported her weight on the wall and peeked to see a still snoring father. Next to him by his arm lay a bottle. She dare not think how much he had drank that night. Luckily the wood beneath her shoeless feet was still wet as always and made little to no sound as she stepped around her father and headed for the door. She paused, she faced the door. Could she do this? What about her father? What if he found out? What if he hit her?

"I'll protect you Terrene." Friend reassured.

With that Terrene slowly opened the front door, and was greeted by many wonderful scents, sounds, sceneries, and much, much more. She loved the outside and it welcomed her with a slight wind, a dark sky, a mucky earth, a tall grass, and a rotting house shrinking from behind. Each step Terrene took was another step closer to freedom. Freedom itself had a scent. It smelled to her like clean grass, sure enough, but it was oh so sweet. She spread her arms free, as wind passed above and below them. The little creatures from the muck also welcomed her three-toed feet. She noticed the tall grass surrounding her was three times taller than her and then she saw it. The grass thing from her windows. It was yellow and brownish. She neared it hesitantly until she reached the tall thing.

Terrene was a little nervous so she began playing with her hair, and with her other hand she played vigorously with her fingers, toying them around. She wanted to touch it.

"Do you see the grass thing?" Terrene asked Friend.

"I do Terrene. It looks a lot like you, don't you agree?" Friend considered.

"I'm not a grass thing, daddy told me I was a plant." Terrene corrected.

"Well yes, but, you are a flower, and that is a flower." Friend assured.

"A f-what? A… flower?" Terrene admired the word as she said it. She looked at the yellow flower with much more meaning to it now. "Flower." She repeated.

"Yes. And I believe this one is called, Flower of the Sun." Friend smiled.

"Flower of the Sun," Terrene repeated. As she began to extend her arm to touch the flower she noticed someone walking towards her in the distance. She heard a yell.

"Terrene!"

The seedling gasped and looked around. It was Miles. He bore a growl that painted his face like something ugly. His fur looked sickly under the dark sky, and he yelled again, nearing the girl rapidly, "I told you never to go outside!"

Terrene shrunk, and she shrunk deeper when her father took her arm with great force. It stung where she was being held and she tried to keep up as Miles walked her back inside the house. Miles threw her arm away, sending the seedling in the center of the living area. Miles slammed the door and with slurred speech continued, "Explain yourself!"

The seedling sat and held her legs in some sort of defiance but found she could not speak. She began to tear up as she was scolded. She could only whisper one thing, "Friend."

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you Terrene." Miles said mockingly but tried to sound more fatherly, "You know why you can't go outside. It's too dangerous out there." The yellow fox began to tread around his daughter. He placed one hand to rub his temple as the other thought of what to do. He stopped again and faced her, "Do I need to lock the doors honey? Is that it? We can do that."

"No, please!" Terrene pleaded.

Miles ears flopped down and back up again in an erratic pattern. His tails drooped down as he was upset. He noticed he had alarmed his daughter and he began to meet her on her level, "Sweetie, I worry about you, please you have to understand."

"Daddy." Terrene only mouthed the words and her lower lip quivered. Many tears had made their way down to her dress already.

"Please be honest with me." Miles started, his blue eyes a bit more understanding, "Who were you talking to?"

Terrene froze, she was worried Miles knew about her new friend. She could not let him know about Friend, he would somehow keep him away from her. "I don't know." She muttered, still crying.

"What do you mean you don't know? I heard you talking to someone. Don't lie to me." Miles egged on again.

"I sai- I said I do- I don't know." Terrene said through more tears.

"I said don't lie!" Miles coiled his arm backwards, ready to discipline his daughter. As he swung he felt a force known, unknown to him, immediately stop him. Terrene watched in horror at what he was about to do and flinched. When she opened her eyes, Miles' arm was still frozen, inches away from Terrene's head. Miles pulled his arm away and watched as the girl ran as fast as she could upstairs. He lay back, wondering what had just happened, and why he had just wanted to hit his own daughter. Miles stared at his hands, guilty, and began to wail away, and drench himself in tears.

Terrene slammed her door behind her, wailing herself, and dropped, her back on the door. "F-F-Frien-n-nd?"

"I am here Terrene. I know, I know. I saw." Friend tried to comfort the seedling.

Terrene tried, "W-wh-why? Wh-."

"Shh. It's alright, I'm here." Friend promised again, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I h- I ha-hate him! I Hate him!" Terrene sobbed.

"Do not worry, he is gone. He is outside." Friend reassured.

"R-really?" The seedling sniffed. "G-good, I h-hope he n-never comes back!"

"Don't be mad at him, he is trying his best." Friend waited for her to respond.

"No." Terrene said finally. H-he yells at me, and h-he scares me."

"He is still your father. He only blames himself for what happened to your mother."

"My…?" Terrene began but stopped.

"Rest now Terrene, you will need it." Friend offered

The seedling did not respond, but she only closed her eyes, there next to the door, and drifted.

* * *

"Do you know who I am?" The red mist asked.

Terrene feared the mist this time. She felt less and less of her cape and blocked sometimes with her arms. "I don't know."

"I am the one. I am all who have existed. I. Am. Oblivion."

Just then, a purple mist pushed the red mist aside and helped Terrene. He pulled her into consciousness again.

"Wake up Terrene." Friend alarmed and woke the seedling up.

"Friend?" Terrene gasped awake coughing a little, feeling sicker than ever.

"I am here." Friend said. "I will protect you from him as well."

"Who is he?" Terrene asked, still spooked by the nightmare.

"It's… let's not talk about him, there isn't… Terrene…" Friend paused.

"Yes?" The seedling asked.

"You said you liked Sir Lancelot right?" Friend chuckled and smiled warmly.

"Yeah." Terrene began to feel warm again.

"Would you like to see him up close?" Friend offered.


	13. Chapter 12: Power Without End, Glory

**Chapter 12**

 **Power Without End, Glory Without Purpose**

True, there should have been ten, twenty, thirty, or even a hundred things Terrene should normally have questioned. Such as, was this voice in her head telling the truth? What would happen to her if she went? Where exactly was she going? Would her father know?

Excuse me.

Yes, it's me. Thought I wouldn't interrupt you again huh? I guess I picked up a bad habit of being at the right place, at the right _time_. You know who I am.

But that's not why you are here. You're here to see. To see what happened. To see, why things happen, as they already happened. And now, I think the Emergence Wave has caused a new rule. When things happen, what already happened, has _changed_.

It wasn't my entire fault, even though I blamed myself, for all of it. It was an amalgamation. The emerald, the Roboticizer, the machine. A girl, a stranger, and the man trapped in a boy's body. The wizard, the metal animal, the Boy of Metal. The Girl of Short Hair, Reclaimer, and… my husband.

I think I'm ready. I'm not sure, but there is no going back now. I told you you would see me again. Here goes everything.

But it would also be true to repeat that Terrene did not care. Would that not be a merry thought to the individual? To be able to be free from one's own prison? But not to misunderstand the little seedling, she would soon care about herself and her father before abandoning each and her post. Terrene was not apathetic, but she did yearn for more than a locked room and a silent book.

And even as the little seedling sat quietly in the darkening room of hers, with a few books on the wet, wooden ground, she thought subconsciously of many other questions, but consciously only questioned no more. What an adventure that would be!

"All right." The seedling finally responded as Friend patiently waited. Not only was she filled with excitement, hope and dread of the unknown, but her very green blood pulsated where it lay with anticipation. "How do we do it?"

"You need only think of where you would like to go." Friend said.

Terrene leaned back more comfortably on her door. "Okay."

"Close your eyes, and imagine a world unlike this one," Friend assisted and she obeyed, "not a world you've created, but a world you've seen before. Focus. For in this manner of travel, when you go back, you've already been there, so it's easier to picture."

The seedling focused on each word, but the meanings made no particular sense as she strained to see what Friend might be talking about. For a minute neither spoke and nothing had occurred and when Terrene opened her eyes she became disappointed. She grimaced, "I don't think I can do this."

"What did you think about?" The friendly voice wondered as he understood this would take time to learn.

Terrene yawned and scratched her yellowish hair as she made knots into it, "I don't know. I was thinking of how to get there."

"But you already know how to get there." Friend admitted, "All you have to do is be, and see simultaneously."

"I do?" Terrene asked now more confused than before. More resolute she agreed and closed her eyes again, repeating, "Be and see, be and see." As the girl closed her eyes, everything became blackened and cold. But finally she saw something, not being created by her mind's eye. There were stars, much like her dreams. She pictured King Arthur, Camelot, and even Sir Lancelot. Those three were pushed again and she saw only black once more. She tried peering in the blackness, there was something there, something else.

"Remember not to breathe too much." Friend reminded, "What is it you see?"

Terrene tried responding but found that she could not. She opened her lips without opening her eyelids, there was still no sound. She peered in the darkness and realized whatever was there, could see her. And whatever lurked in the darkness, gazed at every fiber that made Terrene.

Terrene gasped and quickly opened her eyes, throwing herself onto a floor much unlike her room. As her eyelids fluttered, her mind pulled her back into subconsciousness, pulling her shortly from reality. Absentmindedly, she tried getting up, drawing back down she realized she had hit something and she recoiled in pain and held her soft head. The seedling looked up at the wooden obstruction, whatever it might have been, she looked on through an opening with anger and hurt-headed frustration and took it, crawling away. While she did so, the girl felt an icy ringing go through her head. She squeezed her very tiny head in awe-filled confusion, noticing a few oddly built chairs next to her. Using one to lift herself upwards, she realized it wasn't made of wood, but rather a firmer and colder material. In fact there were many odd chairs surrounding a massively long table split into two parts.

Letting go of her head and distracted from the pain, Terrene noticed she was in a large room surrounded and built by rock, or stone. But it was placed in such a manner that which Terrene had never seen. She never once had seen stone placed in such an orderly manner, floor and ceiling alike. There lay a large wooden contraption she too had never seen, it had been placed at the corner of the stony room.

"What?" Terrene still did not understand what had occurred to her. Had it worked? "Friend? I think it worked." Whispering as she did she was spooked by a loud cry from one of the many stained glass windows. She looked beyond and found that there was a small black creature at the other end, crying out to her. The squawking seemed to be getting louder which hurt Terrene in turn. She clung to her buddings where ears were supposed to be. She grunted feeling lightheaded again, and she spun around looking for an exit. Finding one she took it, running over to a massive two piece wooden door. She tried pushing. Nothing. She clung to one of the golden metal rungs that hung above her, pulling it, but it was to no avail. Terrene gasped at how much weight was placed on just a simple door. Perhaps it was locked she thought. "Friend?!" She whispered more loudly.

Terrene sighed. This was not what she had in mind when she was told she would be able to meet Sir Lancelot himself. She sat herself at the base of the wooden door. Cold. Forgotten. Alone.

 _Who are you?_

Terrene looked around, annoyed. She questioned, "Friend? Is that you?" She tried concentrating on the voice, this definitely was not Friend. This was someone else, calling out to her. This voice was chilling, frightening and had a certain "holier than thou" tone. This was the voice of a woman. Could it be her mother? Calling out from the great beyond? Finally here to rub it in her face? Oh how she despised her mother. If only she were there to rub it in, Terrene would spit it back at her and yell at her and curse her away and denounce her birth in front of her. If only she had the opportunity. If only…

There was a noise, soft but constant. It was a fast paced pattern, starting with a high pitched shuffle, then a second later another shuffle, then another and another. It seemed to be getting louder and so did the squawking from the outside. It suddenly stopped at its apex. Terrene looked around nervously realizing the shuffling came from behind her. She jumped up as the door creaked loudly and towards her. From the outside came a very tall animal about twice her size. He was extremely dark all around and looked very familiar. Terrene gasped awkwardly as the tall animal almost bumped into her. She hit the back of her head on the massive table again. The animal looked around and made a series of frustrated sounds with his mouth. The animal paused and turned to face the stained window. He shouted, "Late again are we?" Maddening as it was he seemed to be shouting to the squawking animal outside. "Melpomenish," he continued by strutting to a chair impatiently. The animal covered in mail and armor sat next to Terrene but he did not seem to notice her at all.

Terrene held her breath and watched every motion the animal took. It was amazing that he had not spotted her in front of him. The animal tried placing his heavy metal sabatons on the table but found that they were too heavy to do so, realizing it might not be the best idea he meticulously began untying and tying a few knots tied to his gauntlet and vambrace. She noticed he held his helm on his lap while he did so. Terrene slowly turned to face the knight. He did not look up. She waved her arms in front of him, still nothing. She looked at the knight's very intricate armor. When her eyes met at his side she widened them in surprise. What she beheld was a greatsword, massive from top to bottom, the hilt glinted with a golden brightness and at the base of the steel was a red jewel. She knew exactly what sword this was and who it belonged to. The drawings in her books told her this was one of the legendary swords. _Arondight._ She looked at the dark animal in a different light. "Lancelot!" She slapped her hands on her mouth as she shouted. But still the knight gave no indication that Terrene was there in the first place.

Feeling overwhelmed, the seedling began walking away from the knight to where the large door had been. There was more clattering of steel hitting the stony floor. She gasped as more knights entered the room. The girl almost lost her balance as she stumbled backwards. She spun around as fast as she could and headed for the wooden contraption in the corner of the room. It had two handles so she tried one and it opened for her. She climbed in and closed it as quietly as she could. She breathed wildly as she peered through a keyhole. After a while of waiting and staring, Terrene finally realized the extremity of the situation she was plunged in. This was Sir Lancelot she had been staring at. She truly had gone to the past. But how? And if Friend had succeeded in sending her through, where was he now? She had no indication of his presence, there was no voice.

Terrene looked on. Lancelot had gotten up as soon as the other knights entered the room. The second to enter was a woman, although hard to tell under such armor. The only evidence she had was when the woman had taken off her helm and placed it on the massive table. The seedling looked at the woman's side. She saw another sword she recognized, it was originally intended to be used as a rapier and was very thin at the tip and also had a purple jewel at the center of its base. _Laevatein. That must be Percival._

"My Sir lady! Age presents me with a bulse! As you are to the look, likewise with the touch." The blackened animal responded to Percival as she greeted him with a mighty punch to the pauldron. "By Arthur himself, does that not hurt?"

"Not one bit!" Percival began, "Especially not against a daggle-tail such as you." She began to flirt back just as ferocious as Lancelot had begun.

"Hah! Great parry." Lancelot withdrew by offering his chair to the woman knight. Before she took it she mildly bowed before the blackened animal. Another animal that had come in with Percival sat next to her not saying much, but politely regarded the other knights. He was a shade of red and Terrene wondered by his longsword, if that was a legendary sword like the others. She could not for the life of her recognize which knight held this particular sword. But it too had a jewel, shining a distinct silver color. A kind-looking boy came in the same time he did and sat next to the new knight. The boy was a different species than this knight. Perhaps he was his squire. Whatever relation the two had, it was obvious that it was respectable and they each spoke candidly to one another. The boy being there was most likely a bigger deal than Terrene realized, he was the _only_ squire in the room.

Preoccupied with trying to think of who the reddish animal was, Terrene failed to notice another knight who had made his way in between Lancelot and Percival. He then perched close to the two- within earshot, and staring blankly outside at the cawing, rude, black animal. This knight was easy to identify. Green plumage shot outwards of his gorget and fasset. And by the beak-like visor he wore, he was clearly Lamorak, and strapped to his side was his famous Zweihander- the very bright Morgause. Legend stated he named the sword after a lover- King Arthur's half sister(also lover)-mother to Gawain, Gareth, Gaheris and two others- after losing her and forging it deep in Cavern Canus- a province in Downunda. And so Terrene went over in her mind as she noticed the sword shined with a green jewel at its base.

"What dost thou say? Twenty pieces says it's just another exaggerated wizardly fadoodle." Lancelot blurted so all present could hear. The soft murmurs amongst the crowd seemed to die down but only for a little. Whenever the king's first knight said anything at all, it was always taken with the utmost respect and due quietness. As the blackened animal asked, another tall animal walked in- in full mail accompanied by two who appeared as the mysterious knight with the squire. Now three shades of red sat next to each other, kindly obliging one another and the squire. Of course! Five siblings but three with the same kind of name. Gareth, Gaheris, and Gawain. The mysterious animal must be Gawain. And the longsword was without a doubt Galatine.

Percival shook, trying not to appear too caught off guard, "I did not take you as a gambler. Nonetheless, gold and silver are just a fad, so I decline the "barter".

"As if he could afford it, eh Geoff?" Gawain sneered, slightly getting the attention of his squire. The boy mildly laughed, holding in his breath with his hands. At the soft-spoken inside joke, Lancelot turned to Gawain, not at all offended, and smiled. The red animal raised his hands, "Only teasing mate." The blackened animal turned around and continued sharing words with the Sir cat.

Both Gareth and Gaheris quickly turned to their brother, probably trying to diffuse the prattle. "Are you havin' a laugh?" Gareth asked. "Tread lightly with the Knight of the Lake." Gaheris agreed.

"Not in the slightest." Chucking, Gawain reassured. "And I'm only testing waters."

"Not too much I 'ope. You almost lost a hand wiv' 'im." Gareth reminded.

"Both hands." Gaheris also reminded.

"And a head." The squire added, "Sir." He appeared nervous for a moment.

Gawain looked at his squire and scoffed kindly, "Bahh, I may make a knight of you yet Geoff."

A clatter- a mixture of both mail and grunts came rushing down to his regular seat next to Gawain and his brothers. The tallest and thinnest, Terrene thought, knight crashed down on his seat with a thump. The only sound that the still-helmeted animal could produce was an intense muffle of complain.

"'Avin trouble 'ere sire?" Gareth pushed back the desire to laugh.

"What, what?" That much could be understood behind the king's helm and then more grunts.

"Help him Geoff." Gaheris commanded the squire as he positioned himself beside the king. Without question the squire did as he was told and awaited, hands at the ready at the sides of the well-fastened helm.

"Ready" Geoff assured.

"Are you ready sire?" Gaheris could not fight back a chuckle. More muffles and "what's" assured that they were as ready as they could be. Geoff began pulling as Gaheris held the king in place. The more they pulled the more the king began to flail his arms and muffle louder.

"Wha'd 'e say?" Gareth asked stopping them. All participants stopped to try to translate the combinations of muffles.

"I think he said pull harder." Geoff said.

Gaheris agreed, "I think you're right." But starting to pull harder only made the king jump out of his seat.

He opened the compartment of his helm as if opening a door and shouted, "You ruffians, unhand me!" The king spoke in a high but tempered voice. "Now, if you've had your fun, what?" The compartment seemed to fall on its own. Many knights laughed and greeted the king saying "King Pellinore." And each time the name was spoken the king in turn said, "what?"

"Pellinore! How goes the hunt?" Gawain asked as he saw that the king was fit to do anything at all again.

Quickly the king turned around three times, "What? What hunt? Is there another dragon that has so immodestly illuded me? What?" The compartment fell again. Suddenly there was a bright flash in the room followed by three loud whirrs. Out from nowhere it seemed a yellow animal with the longest beard Terrene had seen appeared from that spot. Next to him was a tanned animal that wore a lavish dress of many colors. Lancelot proceeded to greet the two but in particular was gazing truly at the female.

"I was not aware that we would be honored by your presence this day my lady Nimue." If it weren't for his heavy mail, Lancelot would have thrown his whole body on the floor. He kissed her hand lightly. The wizardess had been holding on to the yellow animal's arm while porting, she let him go as he made his way to the large stained-glass window with the gawking animal.

"Tell her we're all here." The yellow animal lied to the small-black animal in the window- and it flew away without question.

"Merlin!" Many cheered.

"What?" Pellinore asked.

 _Ah,_ Terrene thought, in the confines of her mind and inside the wardrobe. _Merlin is one, Nimue is two, where is the third?_ She gasped as she noticed one of the Gawain brothers open the wardrobe and set a large bag of things inside and closed it again. How had she still not been spotted, she thought? More animals without names came in, until she noticed a greatsword with a… blue gem- Caliburn! Clearly the most famous of the legendary swords. This was no ordinary animal- this was _the_ king. King Arthur. He had come in with an animal of the same species as he was- he carried a shortsword. All knights stopped whatever they were doing or saying and saluted their king- they placed a fist on their chests and awaited for Arthur to sit on the massive table. He waved a hand and all sat down- starting a mild conversation this time. _Kay!_ Terrene realized as she saw who sat next to the king.

Lancelot cleared his throat and the first knight made all quiet again. "Are we all present? Whom is not among us?"

"Just one." Merlin pointed to an empty space in the large room. Just then there was another flash of light. Almost immediately a very white and beautiful hedgehog like Galahad appeared. Only this was no ordinary hedgehog. All either feared or respected the third wizard, or even both. She wore an even more pristine and white laced with blue dress than Nimue. Merlin shivered, he still did not trust her- after all they had been through. Nimue clenched her teeth. The king's trust was falling apart from the inside, but only the three knew and suspected why.

The immaculate wizardess made her way to the seat at the end of the table, opposite of the king, next to the wizard trio. She sighed a ponderous breath and did not acknowledge anyone right away. As Lancelot started his greeting, Merlin inquired, leaning towards the perfect lady "Did you get my message?"

"As if I required one Ambrosius." The lady spoke, clearly trying to hit a nerve. But Merlin only pretended he didn't hear his second name.

"You could at least show up when you are supposed to, we may be honored guests, but guests we still are." Nimue snapped quietly.

"Of course, how could I be so clumsy, Viviane, you always were the bright one." The lady retorted but did not look Nimue's way. She didn't need to, she knew already that the younger wizardess was fuming inside, and turning a bit red too. Merlin placed a hand on Nimue's and she calmed, regarding him lovingly she also thanked the wizard quietly. For a split second, the lady looked beyond and behind Lancelot, it seemed that she was distracted by something, and it put her off that she had not expected that. But of course, it was only for a second, and that was all the time Merlin needed to spot that as well on the lady's composure.

"Morgan?" King Arthur asked.

Without a second's hesitation Morgan answered. It was amazing how she still paid attention and spoke with her trio all at once, "I am not here to waste my time on meaningless prattle. Mammoth Mogul has returned, he is alive once again." She did not wait for some surprised gasps and "what's" to die down. "He is not the only person that ails Camelot, but his dark order."

"We need aid!"

"The Knights of Aurora will suffice!"

"Send me my liege!" Lancelot asked the king, "I will make short work of the evil wizard! His second reign will be short lived!"

"You said short twice." Gawain mumbled.

"What?" Pellinore asked, still not with it.

"Send me your grace. Thy will it, I obey." Kay promised.

As each knight spoke their own squabble, Merlin asked Morgan, "How do you know of this?"

"Is it not obvious? Have you not both sensed a strange presence in the wind?" Morgan confessed, still not looking at anyone in particular- or so it seemed. Nimue and Merlin looked at each other with puzzled glances. Merlin looked again where Morgan might have been looking at- the wardrobe? Was this some kind of code? Or was Morgan just messing with them? He got up and paced around for a while, while others talked. He needed to wait for the opportune moment.

Nimue noticed she was alone and wanted to ask, _Merl?_ She looked around and noticed he was nearing the wardrobe. She heard something in the wind, one of Merlin's spells had made its way to Nimue from the left, where hopefully Morgan could not hear. "Keep her busy," It had said.

Nimue began with Morgan, "How can we dispose of the indispensable?"

Morgan sighed with annoyance and stared blankly and directly at Nimue, "You think the dark star above shows itself at night because we wish it to?" Harshly the wizardess continued, "The dark star obeys because it must, not because it has an obligation to us."

Nimue gave a confused look, "Whom does it obey?"

Morgan smile became wicked, "Everyone has a master."

Merlin approached the wardrobe, he was only a step away and whispered another spell in the air, hopefully to make him appear as if he was still pacing. Terrene gasped again, what if she was spotted? Surely she could not avoid the wizards. Merlin opened the doors and gave out a sigh of disappointed relief. Terrene stood face to face with Merlin- inches away, and yet, nothing. She was invisible to him. She nimbly stepped out, avoiding him completely as he closed the wardrobe. Merlin looked at the large wooden doors and they opened.

The king looked pleased, "Ah, Mordred, glad you could join us."

A mint-colored hedgehog stepped inside. With mail and with a two sided axe he shrugged, "Forgive me father," he smirked, "I am here now." He sat on the other side of the king.

Terrene looked saddened yet sure of herself. This was it, this was what she wanted. They were all here, and this mint hedgehog was the Kingslayer Mordred. For an odd reason or two, he looked familiar. But even being here, she was torn, she was frightened and wanted to go home. And yet, something called to her. Each legendary sword glowed as she passed by them, even Caliburn shined even brighter than them all. Terrene made her way to the opposite side of the table and looked up. She stopped, frozen and fearful she waited. Morgan was looking straight at her. This could not be, she was invisible, wasn't she?

A thought formed inside Terrene's mind, and it was not her own, _I can see you._ She gasped, Morgan could see, not only where she was but her something inside her stung with those piercing eyes.

 _Friend, where are you!?_ Terrene wondered.

 _Who are you talking to girl?_ Morgan asked defiantly, searching for something within this intruder. How no one else noticed this was happening, Terrene did not know.

 _How can you see me?_ Terrene thought.

 _I can see many things, and yet._ Morgan stopped, for the first time in her life she was filled with pause and confusion. _You are supposed to happen, why?!_ She shouted and rung deep in the girl's mind.

 _Help me! I musn't be afraid._ Terrene began hyperventilating. She felt a force stop her, it was Morgan, she had placed some kind of spell on her. Large, shadowy tendrils shot out of Terrene and forth on Morgan. The wizardess slightly moved, trying to appear as if everything was still normal, only she was caught off guard and Merlin began looking at her once more. This time, Morgan sweat profusely and tried to escape the tendrils.

Terrene saw what she was doing and closed her eyes again, imagining what she knew to be home. As soon as the little plant disappeared in arid blackness, something else appeared where she had been, and this time all that were in the giant room looked upon it. Only Merlin stared at Morgan and asked, "Are you alright?"

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm fine."

Whatever appeared in front of them turned out to be another animal, perhaps a multitude of animals mixed into one. The wizard spoke with great confidence, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ixis Naugus."


	14. Chapter 13: If You Walk Among The

**Chapter 13**

 **If You Walk Among The Black Forest, You Will See Him**

 _All at once the dread is said. Drowning all who are indeed dead. And the goat with seven eyes shall whisper unto thee many great and terrible things. But O'Chgann will show you the way of three. Oh how near the hour of twilight is._

"Ahh!" She screamed-drawn out and filled with anguish. Great fervor and sweat poured down like rain down her cheeks and chest. For a moment of clarity it seemed there was no end to a single yet perplexing torment. A truth long forgotten, never uttered near mortal ears until now. A phrase of a thousand dying souls told nimbly through a dream.

Had five minutes passed, or five hours since her scream? All she knew was damnation. An obscenity of nature she now had to keep furled until the day of judgement. Truly, a malign essence was torturing her, and how her head ached with madness. How long had she really started to feel this way?

Whiteness turned into a soft color beneath her. To her right was a wooden obstruction and there was more… a blanket. To her left another soft color- a door of some kind. In front of her, another door, a door to her room. Behind her, a desk, a lamp, a window, blinds, writing utensils. She now remembered there was a bed to her right, but why was she not on it? She tried moving her head but realized that she was sprawled on the cold, hard, flooring. She lifted with her arms in front of her, her head, neck and back doing most of the lifting. She lay her hands in front of her- gloves.

She looked down- she was wearing a dress, but she was not wearing any shoes. In fact she was not even wearing socks. Her toes seemed numb at first, but then they pulsated a strange rhythmic beating which she felt on her temples. Had she been screaming this entire time or had it been multiple shouts? Maybe she had imagined even the first shout. She touched her cheeks. She realized she was not only sweating, but crying. Her dress was filled with perspiration.

She looked at the bed again and found there lay a yellow plushie at the top. It was then that Cream realized she was alone in her home. Except her loving chao friend, who came flying in, shortly it seemed, after her scream.

"What's wrong?!" Seeing her struggling on the floor did not help Cheese alleviate his already rising concern. It would seem to Cream that her chao friend was alarmed at what had happened, and he was even trying to communicate with her. But all she could see and feel was the headache that was splitting her mind into two excruciating parts.

"I-I'm fine." Cream balanced her weight on the bed as she pulled herself upwards. She looked around but was drawn to the plushie. It was looking at her. Or at least was in a position where its button eyes stared deeply into hers.

 _Sleep._ The voice came back to her. It wasn't like her regular dreams. _Sleep,_ she thought. What could it all mean?

"Mobius to Cream? Hello?" Cheese insisted, waving his tiny hands around in front of the rabbit.

"Huh?" She looked at the chao's perplexed visage. "What do you want?"

Cheese looked shocked, "I've been trying to get your attention." He looked at the plushie then back at her. He offered for the third time, "Are you sure I shouldn't get mom?"

"What's she gonna do? I just fell down." Cream felt strong enough to lift herself off the ground and onto her bed. "Sleep." She muttered.

Cheese cocked his head, "What?" He sat next to her.

"What? Nothing." She snapped.

"Um, okay." Cheese sighed, "Do you… need company?" He looked around trying to find an excuse to be around the rabbit.

"No." Drawn out- she responded, and looked back at the plushie.

Cheese also looked at the yellow fluff and then back at her, "Are you angry with me?" He tried setting his hand on hers. In response, she quickly took her hand away, almost hitting herself in the process. Saddened he looked down on the bed, thinking of what to say next. Silently he realized the change, it wasn't sudden. Cream had always been loving and caring, but it was at this moment that he realized that his rabbit friend had changed for the worse. Although, he did not know when the change had occurred. He looked at her again. She was only staring at the yellow thing, again. Something about it made Cheese shudder. He looked more closely. Cream seemed dumbfounded, she wasn't even looking at something in particular it seemed.

"Sleep…" She muttered again.

"Is this about him?" Referring to Tails Cheese pointed at the plushie. Cream shot him a look of pure hatred. "Is that why you're mad at me?" He dared say.

"Don't." Cream said behind clenched teeth, still looking with wildfire in her eyes.

"I think it's time to get rid of this thing." Cheese took hold of the plushie only to be hit. Swatted away by his once-loving friend.

"Leave him alone! Get out!" Cream spat holding tight to the yellow fox. It only took a moment for her to realize what she had done. Too late was it to take it back and with shame she looked back at the chao. As he began to sob she tried to soothe him in some way but was treated with the same reaction. He punched away her hands and took his exit out the window. Cream watched with terror as he flew out only to disappear in the darkness outside.

In horror she stared deep within herself and cried, "Why did I do that? I- hate you!" Before she could scold herself further, she looked down at what she was holding. The plushie head looked up at her. She gasped and saw that her room light was flickering, another light on her desk flickered. They did not go off, instead, they seemed to change even flutter in front of her. The two lights seemed to be getting closer to her, almost being sucked into something. She looked at the plushie again, and before all light vanished within the plushie, she heard him whisper, _sleep._

* * *

A flash of green, "Quickly now."

Cream opened her eyes but it was black. She suddenly saw a glimpse of light but only for a second. As she tried feeling around where she was there was another glimpse and a third, and a fourth and so on. Long enough for her to see her room in shambles. There were cracks in the walls, overturned furniture, books and books painting the ground. Cream could only hear the sound of her breathing and a rhythmic beating all around her. It was as if her room was alive and moving all at once.

"Cream."

The rabbit turned around seeing glimpses of green and black. Panicked she stumbled and fell over her desk. She felt something underneath her. It was wet, and a glimpse showed her it was part of the black. Gasping quietly and erratically she felt for her door only to feel a large… what exactly? Pulsating, massive, black, wet, it took over the walls and now replaced the door to her room.

"Cream."

With each glimpse she noticed more green flashes. A figure stood at the hallway, beckoning her to what hopefully was safety. Cream pulled the nasty blackness, some of it budged. She looked back as she felt the whispers again. They were monumental and now was all she could hear. All the voices were different.

 _Save us…_

 _They will betray you…_

 _Only in our city…_

 _We can help you…_

 _Stay here…_

 _We can give you all…_

It would seem that the more she heard, the more voices could be heard. As the number of them grew larger, the space between sanity and madness grew thinner for the rabbit. Gradually, Cream felt a presence tug at her from behind. She was pulled back into the hallway and she could finally see her rescuer. His essence was all green, but he was tall, had queer robes on and two large tusks protruding from his mouth. He pointed down the stairs and disappeared. Gracefully, the voices stopped all at once and Cream could think again, and she dared not look back at the disorganized malignance.

Reaching only a few steps down, Cream was thrown to the wall on her left. She struggled for a moment, the house was somehow being moved.

"Cream?!" A familiar voice had come from below.

Hope glimmered in her wide eyes. Cream took that sign as something good, even with so much of a calamity. Quickly she maneuvered over broken glass and portraits and found her way in her kitchen where her mother greeted her with open arms and relief-filled tears. "Mother what's happening?" Cream looked around for Vector but could not find him. "Where's Vex?"

For another brief moment it seemed Vanilla was not worried at all about what was happening and only stared back at her daughter's unwavering, worried eyes. "Listen to me closely dear, no matter what happens you have to promise me something." With all the calm left in the world, the mother rabbit held her daughter closely and awaited for a response.

"What? What is it mother?" Cream could not believe such calm was possible and yet she beheld it in front of her.

Now she sounded exasperated. Vanilla spoke as she clung to something shiny around her wrist, "Your father… Harold… we knew… we tried…" But for some reason or another, Vanilla could not say until she took a deep breath, "Promise me you will stay alive." She smiled and kissed her daughter. "Now hide." She offered a compartment door where kitchen materials should have been. Luckily Cream was small enough where she could fit inside.

Outside, there were voices all around, growlings and howls coming from every which way. The house shifted one way, tearing through walls, chimney and wood. The ground opened up right in between the house and swallowed whatever it could. Vanilla ran to what was left of the living room and almost screamed at the sight of Vector. They embraced quickly as he asked, gasping for air, "Is she safe?"

"She will be," Vanilla responded, "Mogul says there are friends on the way."

"Good. We need to buy her time." Vex whispered and motioned to the door and the outside." The two were prepared enough that they pulled a sword and an axe from seemingly out of nowhere. The crocodile at the front of the door gripped the axe tightly, ready for what was on the other side. As the growls and the house died down, Vanilla looked at Vex worriedly.

When there seemed to be no noise, other than the small trickle of sweat hitting the ground from Vector's head, the two looked at each other again and waited.

A great crash resounded all around, the house moved, in uproar it shook about tons of wood, pillars and ancillary objects, to and fro. From great holes where walls should have been, massive, muscular monsters crashed through and entered the unsuspecting home. The croc realized that these were the same creatures he had dealt with in space- if not similar. Another crashed in, and another, and so on. In the upheaval, another massive creature came through the main entrance and looked at the rabbit and crocodile with only one eye.

The floating eye commanded in a raucous voice, "Find the Inventor!"

Without a moment's hesitation, the croc charged for the eye but was pushed back by a black creature bigger than he. Stunned he looked around for his enemy. Too late was he when he realized it charged again, pushing him further into debris.

Distracted by what was happening to the croc, Vanilla almost forgot she was striking and fending off her fair share of black creatures. She mistook a step backwards and fell, hitting her head on a destroyed counter. Cream could barely see through a crack- both her mother-bleeding from her head- and her step-father being brought to the living room, pushed around by black creatures, ordered by the large, floating eye. What could she do? She was helpless to such a horde. If she ran now, they would probably catch her, so she would wait. Could she fight to save her parents? She had heard there was help on its way, perhaps the best thing was to wait.

"You will be given one chance to join us." The black eye started, seeing through the two helpless. Vanilla held back wails and cries, but tears managed to stream downwards. The eye pierced their two souls, "Tell us where the Inventor is or die."

"Beat it bucko!" Vector struggled to get up but was quickly put in his place.

"Very well, her first." The eye looked straight at Vanilla. They held her in place as she screamed for a moment. Vector had to be beaten again to be restrained. And then the beating started on the mother rabbit. Cream held squeals back. All she could do was watch as the black creatures slowly killed her mother.

After each beating came a grunt from the mother rabbit, but gradually the grunts dissipated to a hum, and then no more sound, other than Vanilla's heartbeat, and a slow raspy breathing. Her clothes were torn, blood seeped from her mouth, eyes, and many other places.

"Nilla." Vector coughed. Slowly the mother rabbit looked upwards. The bruised croc struggled to say, "She'll be safe… I promise."

"We will find her. You pathetic creatures must understand that the Black Legion cannot be stopped." Black Doom laughed.

The mother rabbit sighed with relief and somehow managed a smile. Doom's eye let out a growl and attached all five tendrils raptly all across Vanilla as she let out her last cry. He let go of the rabbit and Cream watched as her mother's lifeless body fell backwards and her motionless eyes stared right at hers. A silver ring left her mother's right wrist and rolled its way towards the kitchen, although not close enough to where Cream could grab it. It was all she wanted to do.

If Vector could have cried out he would have, but instead, he could only tear up and whimper. He closed his eyes and cursed, "There will come a day when you will be the one begging for mercy... and the same animals you have slaughtered will deny you."

"Enough!" Black Doom carried out his punishment, the same as the first, and Vector's body dropped with a small, insignificant thud.

Cream closed the door and cried. This might as well could be her last day on Mobius. An unknown pain struck her heart. It wasn't grief, revenge, or hate. It was the fundamental of death- a lonely loss. She no longer fit in the world, and was displaced by this black creature. A deeper darkness crept in where she was. And the voices of the old ones returned.

But today was not only the day Cream would lose, but the day that she would live.

A green light appeared before her, calming and reassuring. She stopped sobbing and followed it outside. Opening the small door she looked up and saw a bulky mammoth, extending his green hand- she took it.

"I am sorry." He said, but smiling he offered, "Take this way. I will hide you as best I can."

With hope Cream stared at the massive animal and silently thanked him. She pushed away tears with her arms and started, only to be stopped again by the mammoth. She looked up and noticed he put one finger by his lips as if to be more quiet, and his other hand pointed outwards- out of the house. Cream listened, there were other voices, newer than the growls.

"Intruders! Kill them! Kill them all!" Doom yelled as he made his way outside.

Cream looked up again, only this time the green mammoth was gone. She stopped to pick up the silver ring and walked over to her dead mother. She seemed to be there a while which only felt of fleeting seconds.

"Hurry." The friendly guide said.

Beginning to sob something stuck out and grabbed her leg. She gasped realizing it was Vector. His other hand clutched at his heart. Cream had no words to express, and only stared in shock. With his unoccupied hand, the croc pushed his headphones away- and it took two or three tries. The growls seemed to hasten and get louder outside, Cream feared her window of opportunity was diminishing. Vector tried, but only a few words made it out, "Acorn... Mint. They … keep you...safe." And then he was gone. Cream grabbed the key, headed for anywhere but there and sobbed, and ran, and ran, and ran.

* * *

In the night, there was not much she could see. And as Cream ran, all manner of shrubbery and leaves and twigs hit her face and eyes. She decided to stop. Thumbnut wasn't far, but getting out of the forest was tricky. Especially if she was being hunted by the black creatures. Her sobbing became gasps but were drowned out in the wind.

From behind she heard another growl, very unlike the others. This was monstrous and it drowned every other sound there was. Cream looked back. If there was such a color, a deeper black sprouted from the ground and stood high, high in the air- it was in the direction of her house. It growled again, sending chills coursing through the rabbit's body. Then she heard a clattering. She hid behind a tree and waited. The clattering grew and the ground to her sides seemed to be alive. The howlings from the black creatures were there- scattering all around- as if… running from something. There were many of them, and the ground grew silent once more. They were gone.

Cream waited. She could have been there in the cold for hours but she could not tell. She began sobbing again. How could this be her life? How could she deserve this? Instinctively she would have grabbed out for Cheese, but he was long gone. All she had in one hand was a small key that opened something in the Acorn Mint, and on her other hand lay a mysterious silver ring- a color she had never seen before on rings.

And then another thought crept in. Mephiles had told Cream of a house to meet him in. A house south of Drabdun on the acorn border.

A rotting house.


	15. Chapter 14: The Puzzle Box Or Mephiles

**Chapter 14**

 **The Puzzle Box Or Mephiles, One Of Us**

It was always perfect, only this time, there was no Cheese. Cream would always see the blue chao, but not this time. And then Tails would show up, out of nowhere and be with her.

 _Lead us…_

The rabbit opened her eyes. This was a dream she would have many a times. Never any different. It taunted and evoked the question- can you ever truly be with him? She learned to recognize it as what it really was, a dream. Cream was asleep, she decided and just enjoyed it for what it was: another fleeting experience, no matter how inexplicable.

 _Where are they?..._

 _Take us there…_

She looked around and saw many different species of plants. Cream was in a meadow filled to the brim with flowers- all exotic. She took many deep breaths and waited for the two-tailed fox. It was at this point when Cheese would show his face, but no such thing happened.

The dream was always sequential, in a specific order. Odd as the dream was, Cream couldn't feel any more apathetic. She pulled her body upwards and felt her droopy eyes get lazier in the hot sun. She closed them again, lay her arms on her knees and rested her chin on her arms. _He should have been here by now,_ she thought.

 _You've been here before…_

 _How many are there?..._

 _Where is she?..._

Cream heard laughing and quickly turned around, annoyed by the sudden change, she squirmed and stayed quiet. She turned around again, more laughter. This time she got up, "Hello? Who's there?" It was the laughter of children. _This can't be a dream… is it?_ Cream, though thinking, felt her words vibrate and make noise.

She saw them this time.

 _There!..._

 _Go!..._

 _Follow…_

 _Obey!..._

 _Do not falter…_

They were children of some sort. And there were many of them, and all seemed to be standing around a tall… female. She was… familiar. Cream squinted, they were far off. She treaded through the fauna all around and made progress. The female...girl… yes…

 _She is of no consequence!..._

 _The others!..._

 _We will make you understand…_

 _Open me! Open me! Only then will you know peace!_

 _We are waiting…_

The girl had red hair… something golden on her waist… a blueish shirt… blue eyes even. Cream remembered her now, "Molly?" The girl turned around and saw Cream.

"Kagh!" Cream coughed away the dread. She found herself sleeping on the same tree. Everything on her body stung. She whined but made her way up. Slowly she walked to Thumbnut. There was so much nothing now in front of her eyes, and in her heart. There was nothing she could do. And if she could go back and change things, to save her mother, to save Vex, she would.

But how much of life was now meaningless to her? There truly was nothing more for her… and yet. _Tails!_ Where were her friends? Where was… everyone? She came to the village and heard no one, saw nothing, felt empty. The once vibrant town lay dormant and dead. House to house, shop to shop, Cream went through all of it and stopped at a lonely fountain where a stone Cosmo was. Cream looked around again, but the town gave her the same response- desolate stillness. Surely the Acorn Force should be out trying to deal with the black creatures. Surely the Acorn Guard, the Acorn Army, anyone!

And surely if the animals were evacuated there would be some sign of struggle, anything… but nothing. There were only empty shops, empty streets, even the water wasn't running anymore on the fountain. The rabbit thought of her priorities: Amy was gone so she would have to go to Tails' house, but Sonic's was closer. But ultimately, she thought, she would most likely find Sonic somewhere in the action. And would Tails hole himself in his house or join Sonic? He would most likely think of protecting Cosmo. And what about what Vector had told her? Something in the Acorn Mint would keep her safe? She looked at her hands, one had the small key, and the other the silver ring. She put the ring on trying not to think of her mother, and yet found herself tearing up again. She knew the Acorn Mint was closer to the castle so she headed north.

Before the golden gates was a large tower holding all of Thumbnut's riches. She entered the tower, it looked smaller from the outside. But inside were large holding cells containing what was supposed to be wealth and safe boxes. Each cell was lined up facing each other, except the ones that were southeast. Each was also divided by wooden partitions where tellers should be. As Cream walked in she even noticed the red carpet was stainless and pristine. She looked up at a massive chandelier, it still had light and presented many, many levels of the same safes above.

Cream looked at the key again as she grew impatient. In the interior of the key was engraved in small lettering: _G302. I can't waste any more time,_ she decided as she looked around to the first cell which was on her right. On top of the shiny lintel in golden lettering, was inscribed a single letter: _A._

Without any more hesitation the rabbit looked up at the winding tower. She sped past unknown treasures, elevating further upwards. Who knew how many strange objects were stored there? But Cream passed them nonetheless, each time glancing at which letter she was close to, and each nearing her goal. Until briefly, passing one meaningless letter, Cream heard a soft susurrus.

 _Bow down…_

She stopped and looked at the safe boxes. One of them was calling to her, and she knew exactly which one it was. She looked outside at a window near the winding staircase. How long had she slept? Was there time? She looked back at the box. She had no key, and no way of getting in. She cursed her luck and kept going up.

Finally the rabbit reached her destination and went deeper in the 'G' section. It was a small space, yet the boxes stretched to the skies. Luckily each partition had a ladder. Climbing some more she looked forwards, backwards, to and fro, until: 302. Not knowing what to expect she pictured much gold inside. The Chaotix were renowned for their detective work.

But when she opened the box, it seemed as if it was empty and dark, all but one shiny object stood out. Cream reached inside. She had now more questions than answers when she saw it was a badge of some kind, and two giant letters- DD.

 _How does this help?_ Cream wondered as she climbed down the ladder, down the stairs, and out the Acorn Mint. As she left Thumbnut, Cream felt as if she had forgotten something else in the Mint. Something that would be lost to the ages.

* * *

There is a common misconception between what we believe and what reality is. For instance, time- a made up concept to help us understand the vast intricacy of one unknown. Time, in our minds, is linear. You start at point A and never end at point X. But in reality there is only the Stream. An amalgam and combination of random consciousness. Within said randomness there can me multiple versions of somethings. Imagine a circle within space, and then another circle yet bigger- on top of the first circle. Then one more circle yet more oblong than the rest. With the Stream, all three circles can coexist. But there is one underlining and particularly the most important factor of the Stream. Any realities can exist within the Stream. But anything else outside of the Stream is constant. There can never be more than one of anything outside of the Stream.

But for a constant being to exist in one, two, three, and all realities within the Stream- is impossibility. Nay, an abomination of nature. For _they_ are and are not.

She went back. She didn't know if she would be caught. Could she care any less? Before Cream arrived at what was a pile of nothing and remains of what could have been her house, but even she could not tell- she saw it. Whatever _it_ was. Only a glimpse however. And even she could not describe in words, in thought about what it truly was. No monster, no beast, no enemy, no nightmare could fathom or compare. But it had made a monstrous hole where her house should be, where her mother died.

It was odd when she saw it. She felt nothing, but not because of her current predicament. She had felt no fear, no anguish at the sight of it. Normally, she would think, the everyman would be frightened, would look away in horror and disgust at such an abnormality of nature. Which of the seven hells gave birth to such a mockery of life?

If one was to describe it, and Cream tried, she would have to think it was some sort of nightmarish creature from the depths of the ocean. With its many arms it dug through the hole, but not before looking at her. It had many eyes, too many to count. Where a mouth should have been, only eyes polluted. Where arms could have been regularly, eyes replaced. Why had it not eaten her, like it did her house?

Cream clung tightly to the silver ring resting on her wrist. In all the transgression, she felt a resilience she had not felt in years. Finally she could move on her own and find out what was going on. The rabbit looked up at the full moon. Its wholeness shined down on her.

It was dark already. Cream had been standing for hours thinking about the creature. It did not matter, she would continue. Yet in the back of her mind she knew she was running out of time. But something told her it was destined. And something told her she had nothing to fear. And something told her she was not alone. And something told her she was safe. And something told her… told her…told her…told her…

* * *

Drabdun, just like Thumbnut was abandoned. Tails' house was abandoned. Nothing stirred, only the occasional black creature. But she somehow knew where to be at the right moment. Evading them was not a problem any more. Their hunting her was inevitable, Cream would let them. She would get her payback in time.

It was still night when she arrived at the Acorn border, and even more hours until daylight.

 _Stop…_

Cream stopped, she thought perhaps it was another one of the black creatures so she waited and listened. The border wasn't an actual barrier, but instead here and there were poles marking north Northamer, and south Soumerca.

 _Left…_

If she was going south then east would be left, she thought.

 _Find him…_

 _It would be wise to meet him…_

 _He waits…_

 _We will remain at your side…_

 _We understand…_

Cream walked slowly, they kept telling her she was in no real rush. But she could not help herself and she skidded along following each pole. The area began to get grassier, and the trees seemed to die or vanish altogether. Ahead of her was vast land of tall grass and more than once did she think she had lost her way, for it seemed there were no more poles guiding her. She also more than once stepped in puddles of bog and dirt.

The land itself seemed off somehow, like something that should not be. The dead plains did not help ease her, only the voices. And only once did she see a ruined pole, toppled over and dead looking, charred even. Cream kept checking one pocket, seeing if the badge was still there. She also rubbed against the silver ring- it was comforting.

She shivered, her socks had been wet with mud this whole time but it wasn't until now that she felt it. She spat away more grass as it hit her across her face, again and again. The mud was holding her back. Her heart skipped a beat and she grew ten times more impatient. No one spoke so she did not hold back. She more than once fell, staining all of her with wet, sticky, bugs and filth. It began to itch. Something was so familiar about this, and Cream could not at this time understand why that was. More itch.

Finally she got through and she was belly deep in the bog now. Before her she saw a massive house. _The rotting house,_ she thought. "Mephiles!" She whispered loudly, she hoped he was here already. She could trust him, he could even help her find…

Cream's heart dropped to her feet. Alongside the house there lay a small hill. But it was what was on top of the hill that alerted her. There was a lot of mist to get through, but sure enough there was a yellow fox on top of the hill. He did not move.

Mist rose from the ground up, not a peep was heard but the soft patter of her heart. She stood there, very frightened, until she felt something on her shoulder, and then heard a rasping. She looked but no one was there. But the voice said, "You did this, you have no one to blame but yourself." The voice sounded devilish, this demon made her bones chill.

 _Do not listen to him…_

 _We will protect you…_

 _He means nothing…_

Cream started, feeling weak. She scratched the mud off of her face. This was no doubt the dream. The dream she had been having. The dream she had first had that dreadful night on the Typhoon. She dare not stop, she dare not look away, what would happen at the end? Each step was heavy and thought out. There was a moment where she began crawling- this could not be.

When she got to him, he was just there, lying peacefully. She began crying long ago, she knew what was to come somehow. She pulled his limp body on her lap and saw lifeless eyes staring at her. Tears drenched over the fox. She checked him over and saw something peculiar. The same scar that traveled down his belly on his left side was still there. But there was another, a giant gash slashed on his right side, traveling down his thigh. There was so much blood it now covered Cream as well.

"You see it now."

Cream gasped and sobbed a little softer. She looked up and saw the familiar colors of mint and black.

"Me-" Cream tried.

Mephiles looked down at her as if nothing. "Do you see it now?" He pointed at the dead fox. She did not understand and squeezed him harder, burying her head against his motionless chest. He explained, "Do you recall, when we first met, something odd about me?"

"I-you-were…" Cream shook her head, defeated.

The hedgehog knelt down beside the crying rabbit, "I was bleeding when you first saw me." When Mephiles saw that she had no response he continued, "And when Tails was dying I bestowed upon him a "gift"." He looked the fox boy over, "I wouldn't expect you to have noticed but the metal stuck was on his right side- which is why he bleeds now." His neon green eyes waited for some kind of a response. They surveyed each inch of Cream's soul. It was hard for him to not smack his lips.

"I don't understand." Cream finally said after a brief period of time.

Mephiles could hear the rhythmic beating of Cream's heart. He took his time in responding, "My wound was on my left side. A… 'poison' that would have killed me almost instantly, but not him." He pointed again at the yellow fox."

Cream began seeing the big picture now, the clues were everywhere. She stopped sobbing and instead began sniffing.

"So I took his wound, and he took mine. This is why I walked with a limp." Mephiles tried not to smile, he felt more and more of his strength returning to him while he feasted. "Which is why I needed to break free of that prison… I arrived too late." He lied. "As we speak my "gift" is already in reversal.

And before her eyes, Cream saw the scar on Tails' left side disappear. The rabbit looked past the crouching hedgehog, no scar ever appeared back on him. As Mephiles read her thought, he hoped she would not ask him about it.

It seemed like fleeting seconds, but in reality Cream had been there for about an hour, crying while Mephiles consoled her as she clung to her dead love.

"C'mon." Mephiles insisted while he got up and extended his hand, "Go inside while I dig a grave."

When she got up she had a question that bothered her to her core and worry grew like a tumor. Cream asked, "Where is Cosmo?" Suddenly the both of them heard a high pitched cry coming from the rotting house. Cream looked at Mephiles.

"I forgot about her!" Mephiles also grew worried. "How could I forget?" He sped to the house but Cream soon followed inside. Mephiles was inside scanning the whole house, Cream noticed how dead the house truly was on the inside. There was no furniture, the kitchen was charred in a deeper black. But then she saw her. A small girl holding a bag, opposite of them near a window. She looked like Cosmo.

"Terrene?" Mephiles spoke. The quietest and softest Cream had ever heard him speak. "It's me." He motioned to his chest with his hands.

"Mephiles?" The girl cried out. She ran to the hedgehog and he picked her up, squeezing her softly and warmly.

"Did my little seedling miss me?" Mephiles chuckled, it seemed so alien that he could be so affectionate after everything Cream had heard about him.

As he let her down she asked, "Where's daddy?"

The hedgehog frowned and paused for a long while. "Daddy is outside. But you can't see him now."

"Daddy!?" Cream asked fiercely, spooking the seedling. Mephiles eyed her fervently. Cream looked down at the seedling then back at Mephiles.

"I'm going outside. Daddy has to leave, but I'll be back." Mephiles whispered to Cream, "Please keep an eye on her. As if your and _my_ life depends on it." The hedgehog glanced back at the question-filled seedling and closed the door behind him with a soft and muddled thump.

Cream almost couldn't breathe and felt she was going to pass out.

"What are you talking about? Of course it's safe." The seedling whispered but loud enough for the rabbit to hear.

"I'm sorry what?" Cream looked at what now looked exactly like Cosmo, only with a yellow dress too big for her.

The seedling looked afraid and shyly towards the newcomer. Cream noticed that she wasn't looking directly at her, just at her general direction, even when there was a small light lighting the lower level of the house. The rabbit crouched down to meet her eye level. The seedling stepped back a little.

"I want to see daddy." The seedling whispered. "Why isn't he coming back?"

"Sweetie." Cream hesitated before feeling more dread making its way out. "He's- he's gone." She broke out into tears again but wiped them away.

The seedling paused as if still listening to something. "What do you mean dead? What does that mean? Stop talking, I can't concentrate." She also began to cry, not knowing what was happening.

"I didn't say anything." Cream said, it added to the confusion. She tried consoling the seedling by getting a hold of her. But she only screamed and ran for the bag close to the candle and only light in the house. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…" Cream sat on the soft wood and looked past her own tears to see the little girl sobbing in a corner. With clenched teeth she hit the ground below her- it didn't make much sound.

After a time Mephiles entered the house again. Sweaty and out of breath he looked to Terrene, surprisingly for comfort, and then to Cream. The seedling was asleep but Cream kept her gaze fixed on what looked so much like Cosmo. The hedgehog tapped her shoulder and she looked up. "It's done."

Cream began to get up but the hedgehog stopped her. "I need to see it." She said.

Something changed. And each dream has been fulfilled, as was promised. All but _one_.

"Fine." Mephiles said quietly. "I'll stay with her."

Cream found herself crying once more when she reached the grave. She looked up and asked "why" to the sky. Only to see that something was not right. Something was definitely not right with the moon.

Cream heard a scream. It was Terrene.


	16. Chapter 15: The Third World- Our Herald,

**The next five chapters won't come as fast as the first did. If you want to read more let me know and please review.**

 **Chapter 15**

 **Welcome To New Greengate**

And in the above land it is said that the lost tribe waits. The Inventor has hidden them well from sight. It is a land of monotonous variety- a land secluded for the righteous. It was created by the heavens as a haven.

 **Chapter 15**

 **Ny'alotha The Drowned City**

There are five keys, two of which have already been aforementioned. They will open the way for the dream's end, the sky's fall, the depth's cold, the plane's hunger, the land's hatred. They wait patiently at the mouth of the ocean. Therein lays the city and its gate with five locks.

 **Chapter 15**

 **The Third World- Our Herald, Your Deceiver**

The next few moments could have been brief but were so much out of reality- that all sense of time was thrown out the window. Terrene shrieked once more. Cream came in. The moon was not right. The old embers of the rotting house reignited.

"I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch."

Outside, a few pebbles and wads of dirt began to slowly rise. Truly the moon was not as it should be. The dark star was broken- split in two. Its former glory was now a memory. Or a memory's memory.

Cream had said those words. Except Cream had not said those words. Terrene seemed frozen in place as she witnessed something atrocious. Stood up and close to the pair she stared, unable to comprehend in time. Cream saw that Mephiles was in trouble. He too realized that too late and looked down at his stomach. Painfully he grunted and spat out blood without knowing it. The hedgehog shifted. It was as if his own shadow was within him, trying to escape. His trembling hands grabbed at the sharp sword stuck through him.

"Call them."

Mephiles shook fiercely as if he had been frozen in ice. Cream also could not move. Not only was that due to the hedgehog's current predicament, but also to whom was doing it to him. Cream looked at Cream, but Cream did not look back.

A taller figure, older version of Cream held a greatsword with a blue jewel at the base, and it penetrated the hedgehog as if nothing. "I said call them!"

This made Mephiles cry in agonizing pain. He took a moment to breathe loudly and then gasped erratically but quietly. He chuckled through gasps and somehow turned his head backwards without moving his body. "They will kill you! They will kill you! They will kill you!" For a moment it seemed wherever he was colored mint, it shined but just for a moment. Younger Cream mouthed something but could not express anything in words. She hadn't realized it until now, but the jewel at the base of the sword was glowing brightly.

Surprisingly calm, older Cream looked back at her rival and said, "Don't forget… _all_ of them." She was sweating profusely, holding the hedgehog there took some incredible force.

Mephiles struggled to stay alive but did his best. His mint self shined as he shifted his head back. Younger Cream gasped as she heard screams of panic outside the rotting house. There was rustling but rapidly, things were trying to get into the house, banging at the wood all around them.

Quietly the seedling fell to her side as she passed out. Younger Cream ran to her and shouted to no one in particular yet looking at the pair, "What did you do to her!?"

Clearly exasperated yet not being able to show most of it, Mephiles whispered, "You c-can't. It could kill… h-her…"

"I don't care about her." Older Cream moved the sword around to cause pain. As it did the hedgehog screamed.

"Stop!." Through a pocket of space came another Cream, much like the first. "I won't let you make that same mistake again. We need her."

The first Cream eyed the second carefully and said, "You." Angrily she continued. The second drew her Caliburn and pointed it at the first Cream.

"Don't make me." Threatened the second.

"She's right." A third Cream stepped forward from the shadows. "He has to be the last." The three Creams stared at each other. The first ready to kill, the second ready to strike, the third did not react in any way like the first two, which made her seem like the strangest Cream. Meanwhile, younger Cream, could not believe what she was witnessing, but watched and waited nonetheless.

The door slammed open and then slammed shut again, entering was a tall human, a purple cat, a white hedgehog and an orange raccoon. The tall human and the white hedgehog barred the door with their backs.

Out of breath, the white hedgehog spoke first, "There's a lot of them out there! Whoa."

"Crimony." Whispered the raccoon. The purple raccoon said nothing as her jaw dropped.

"Cream…s?" Asked the oddly dressed human.

"Yes." All three spoke at the same time.

"Idiots. You followed _me_ here." The first Cream said.

Just then the only light in the room flickered. Whatever hunted outside was hungry and growled like no animal or beast could. One came in through a wall near the group. Another came in from the ceiling and like mud, slid downwards where all could see. And then another and another, until five creatures of nightmare threatened with shadowy knives and see-through fangs.

Both unoccupied Creams sprung into action and cleanly swiped at two shadow creatures, then hitting a third with a bolt of energy that came out from Caliburn. The first Cream made sure not to move around, risking that could have indeed killed her victim, and she wanted him to suffer just as she did. "That's not what I wanted." Said she, whispering close to Mephiles' ear.

"Take the door!" Said the oddly dressed human to the purple cat and raccoon. He reached for something in his hat- it looked like chalk. When the girls slammed against the door, something outside slammed back.

"What are you thinking Amel?" Asked the white hedgehog frantically.

The human did not respond, instead threw himself on his knees and began muttering to himself while drawing circles on the wet floor. He did say, "We do… some of us… call this… arcane… explosion…"

"Explosion?! In here? Are you crazy?!" Yelled the white hedgehog.

"Don't worry." Said Amel calmly, "I haven't perfected this spell, so it shouldn't be too big."

"That does not inspire confidence!" Responded the white hedgehog.

More shadows rained down from the ceiling and walls. The first Cream saw this and cursed. She quickly pulled back her sword and yelled to the hedgehog, "Ei'ruin!" Quickly as the phrase was spoken Caliburn turned a sickly green and produced a magical barrier around the injured hedgehog. Amel, and both other Creams looked up, clearly frightened at the particular speech.

A silent shadow presented itself in the middle of the room, and the other fighting shadows surrounded it and stopped fighting for just a moment. The shadow in the center took form, a form that looked almost like Mephiles yet different, but clearly him. "Fools," it said, "The Master comes and you waste your time."

"That's more like it." The first Cream said and charged straight and through to the second Mephiles. He took shadow form again and sliced Cream's back, she shrieked and fell. The other Creams danced around Mephiles, fighting off the other shadows until less remained for a time. Each with their Caliburns took their swings and dodged as best they could that dark power of his. The first Cream got up, yelled and swung her sword in a downward angle, slicing off Mephiles' left arm. He shrieked and released dark energy onto the lot of them. The second Cream shoved her Caliburn into Mephiles' belly and the third swung sideways, decapitating him while the other Creams let go. The second Mephiles' body did not limp away or disintegrate, but was sucked away by three different Caliburns.

The door stopped slamming and so did the whole house. There was finally one moment of peace. But was quickly gone when wherever they could enter, the shadow creatures did and surrounded small Cream. She was pushed backwards by a force unknown to her, leaving defenseless Terrene alone. Young Cream tried going back to the seedling but was pushed again. The shadows all looked down at Terrene and appeared to revolve around her, blending into themselves until a small aura of black was left around her.

"Terrene…" Whispered a dying Mephiles in a cage. He lay on his side, trying to reach for the seedling.

A window imploded, a part of the ceiling came off leaving a large hole, and finally from the ground sprung another. Three Mephiles' came to, all looking like the first yet different in some way, shape or color. The three had a look of death in their neon green eyes. Each was ready to kill for their prize. "Die!" They each yelled. Dark energy rose from their fingertips, and they caught the first and second Cream. The third blocked with Caliburn. The purple cat began to make fire from her palms and blew it to the two that had caught the Creams. The third Cream eyed the third Mephiles and said, "You know how this ends. We will protect her." The third Mephiles said nothing and pounced on Cream, slashing at her with much vigor.

When the sixth circle had been drawn, Amel yelled, "Everybody down!" Quickly all that heard ducked for cover leaving the three Mephiles' in the way of the arcane energy. The first blast cut them off of their power, the second began melting away their faces. Their screams could be heard, even as they were sucked away by Caliburn.

Quiet. It was as if a wave had come down, done its damage and left behind empty husks. The first Cream wondered what she might instill upon the dying Mephiles. The second Cream watched the first intently, gasping for air. The third looked with no worry. Young Cream looked at what was supposed to be Terrene. Amel got onto his feet and wondered "what next". Blaze looked onward at nothing in particular, being reminded of what dangers she had faced in life. Although not her style, Marine waited for someone older than her to say or do something. Silver looked at Marine and smiled. She gave him hope, and then he looked at the purple cat. Oh how he wanted her to remember him. But he knew what was said in Chestnut was enough. Mephiles eyed Terrene with a soft glare. He tried to speak was unable to do so.

Silently, whatever queer and evil power that surrounded Terrene, supposedly all left and vanished into nothingness. The old embers of the rotting house died down. Young Cream made her way back to Terrene, checking whatever pulse she could find but remembering she was not an animal.

The first Cream broke the silence, yelling at the dying hedgehog, "Anach kyree!" As she said the words, Amel, and the second Cream looked at the first, shocked and even horrified. But as the words were spoken the prison spell holding Mephiles vanished.

"What is that?! Nathrezim?!" Amel asked with such abhorrence, it looked as if he might have passed out.

"Eredun." The second Cream growled.

The first Cream grabbed Mephiles by the nape of the neck and presented him with Caliburn, holding it close to his neck.

"How do we know he's the last one?" Second Cream asked, ready to use her Caliburn against the first Cream.

"He's not." The first responded, "She is." She pointed to Terrene.

"What?" Asked younger Cream. "What are you going to do?" It was odd speaking to herself.

"Don't start that again." The second said.

Out of nowhere the third was close to young Cream, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her." Young Cream turned to herself and nodded, holding the unconscious Terrene.

This time the human came up and asked the first, "Why are you speaking that horrid language? What have you done? I thought I could trust you."

"Here's the problem, I don't know you, "The first said to Amel, "I might not even be the one to do so."

"Then who?" Amel wondered.

"Don't change the subject, "exclaimed the second to the first. "How do you know that evil tongue?"

The first let go of Mephiles, making him strike his head on the ground with a small, insignificant thud. She said, "I don't have to answer to any of you, especially not you!"

The second did not back down but only stared at a mirror image of herself.

"It's me Amel. I am the one you know." The third said calmly. Amel looked at her and for the first time in a long time was not so confused. He looked through her and realized that she truly was whom he thought she was. He went over to embrace her but she stopped him before he ever could. She raised a hand against him and said, "Try not to get too close."

"How is it possible?" Amel suspected the third but was clouded with many questions. "How did you make it past the Wall?"

The third gave the oddly-dressed-and-crazed-with-questions-human a look that said something was amiss, something Amel might not understand. She said, "Amel… I never made it _to_ the Wall."

For a moment it seemed that Amel was frozen in a state and mix of agitation and question. He looked down to think but whatever ailed him could not be sated. "What happened to you?" Amel thought the worst, and hoped he was in error. "How is it you are here? I would have seen you at the Beacon, not her." He pointed to the first Cream.

The third thought this over before speaking. She feared no one would understand her explanation- she knew too much too early and began, "Time is… finicky with the body. Time has not only rejected my body, but now… I exist where I did not before. As is the fate of all Inventors. We did this to ourselves. Every time we use Caliburn, every pocket we make, steps us closer to a temporal shift."

Amel understood what he could and accepted whatever fate would or had already befallen the third. He said, "But it is you then." Amel wanted to embrace the rabbit as he had done so, so many, many years ago. "I have missed you. I have taken your words to heart, but it seems, even now with all of my training… I have failed the High Father. How can I teach one so pure as Mother?"

"Oh Amel." The third began, "You know of the High Father's past, you are his legacy. Teaching Mother is one step in the right direction, she knows very little of the Augury. What of the Auspice Sequence? Even I don't understand it completely. Do you know why the High Father chose you?"

Amel held his breath when he heard 'Augury' but said nothing of it. "Because I'm mortal. I'm only a failed experiment."

The third shook her head, "He saw greatness in you, just as I see it in you now. The lost son will reunite with his family and reunite all realities."

Amel's eyes widened, "You… you found them?"

The third nodded and smiled.

Amel did not wait any longer, "Where are they? Who? When can I see them?"

"They have their own stories to fulfill." The third Cream couldn't help but chuckle and nod to the idea. "It will make sense when the time comes.

Amel respected the idea and did not question it any longer and only nodded in return. He shifted uncomfortably.

The third changed the subject, "Do you still have it?"

Amel quickly realized what she was talking about, "The Bracelet of O'Chgann." He lifted his sleeve and took off the silver ring, offering it to the Inventor. "I kept it safe for you, just like you told me to. You never told me who O'Chgann was, or what kind of power this thing holds."

"A necessary evil." The Inventor shook her hand. "You need to keep it out of sight and I told you not to wear it."

"I thought-"Amel tried but saw Cream shake her head.

"The damage is done." She said. "Guard it with your life."

"I guess you know about Len then." Amel said indifferently but the Inventor had nothing more to say. It was as if revealing anything more might affect Amel negatively.

"So what is this Eredun thing and why is it such a big deal?" Silver asked the first and second Inventors.

The second responded, "Eredun is the language of the demons, and it is forbidden by the rule of the new Pantheon."

"You really don't understand, and yet you are ahead of me in time." The first scoffed at the second. "One must learn everything there is about the enemy to be able to defeat him."

"At what cost? Your spirit? Every curse you throw brings you that much closer to the demons. You seem to me now not so different from then." The second replied.

"I will sacrifice everything, while you sacrifice nothing." The first said in a dispirited way.

The second stated, "Even your Caliburn burns with fel fire. I just hope you are safe. You and the reality you entrust yourself with."

"What are we going to do about him?" Marine pointed at the lying hedgehog.

"Right." The first Cream said as she made her way to Mephiles. His cold, neon green eyes faded a little but remained where young Cream and Terrene were. Young Cream knew too little to know what to do or what was right. And Terrene still lay on her lap, unconscious but still breathing rapidly. Perhaps this was enough for Mephiles. "Any last words anach kyree?"

For one last time, Mephiles sighed and chuckled. He hoped his last words would mean something to at least one individual. "In the words of the Infected One… "Evolution requires sacrifice…""

Young Cream looked away and whimpered as the first Inventor pushed her boot against the back of Mephiles' head, slowly digging through Caliburn. Before the hedgehog's head hit the ground, he was sucked inside the legendary sword, and Mephiles was dead.

 _I always thought it would be me,_ Silver thought.

* * *

There was a fire created in the center of the living room of the rotting house. It was created by Blaze and it hovered just above the ground. It illuminated faces that could not comprehend many things. It showed true light in its purest form and demonstrated animals at their weakest. For three Inventors, this was a place to rest before their next mission. Even with such a place of dread for them specifically, they stayed. Marine and Silver sat next to younger Cream still holding a sleeping Terrene near the fireplace. Blaze stayed for Amel. Amel stayed because he thought he still needed to answer for what really had happened. But it was young Cream that asked the most.

"So there are four Mobius'. And I… you… a Cream like me for each of them?" Young Cream asked. It felt as if each question answered just brought more and more.

"There are more, but you think of us as- different than you." The third Inventor said calmly. "She was your future." She pointed at the first. "But through me we have created a third reality. Your reality."

"So now you are my future." Cream thought.

"If only it were that simple." The third said. "In a way I am your future, but truly I am not. As I said before I am displaced from reality."

"This doesn't make any sense." Cream stated with frustration.

"So she is one, a reality before you met Mephiles." The third pointed to the first, "She is another, a reality next to the first, "She pointed at the second, "And you are the third Cream."

"How is this even possible?" Silver asked chiming in.

The third Inventor sighed, "Caliburn will not give us enough power to use the Stream, for it is just a shard of one sword. For that we would need another shard. In reality we use another fount of power." Two Inventors lifted up their arms and presented different silver rings tied around their wrists. Young Cream looked at her own ring. "We each use the bracelet's power for our own, but for the betterment of other. I always hoped that you would not use it. But that is your fate as Inventor."

"Why do you call yourself that?" Cream wondered. "Inventor." It had a familiar ring to it.

"The Augury." The third Inventor stated and waited.

Amel scoffed as the first Inventor pitched in, "The old one Noma, he made it all up. He is Amon."

"Who is Amon?" Silver asked.

The third Inventor started, "There is truth in Amon's words."

"Blasphemy!" Amel spat. "Amon is nothing but death. He twists truth for his pleasure."

"Let her finish." The second Inventor decided.

The third nodded, "It is true that Amon manipulated the Pantheon. But what you don't know is that Amon used to be part of it as well." Amel scoffed again but other than that most stayed quiet. "His name was Amon'Athal. He and Aman'Thul were brothers. They with many others came from a city beyond our universe. By coming here they jeopardized their people. They did so to create life, not take it as most of those of the sixth death would do."

"Sixth death?" Asked Marine.

"Yes there are seven deaths. Why are you telling us this?" Amel said.

"Whoa, we're just going to skip over that?" Silver asked.

"Try and keep up." The first Inventor chuckled.

"To know about the Augury, you must know what happened in the Emergence." The third said.

Cream looked at Amel in confusion. He responded to that, "The Emergence is the beginning of life."

"Oh." Young Cream nodded.

The third continued, "These Titan travelers began making their own rule: The Pantheon. Amon did not agree with this type of rule, so he rebelled against his brother and found something in our universe. He found the source of darkness: the Stream. Inside he found creatures of unending power and hatred. They used him and created their own monster: Amon. They are the ultimate goal. They are why we fight. Everything else is a distraction. Amon and the other Void Lords must be stopped. Some of what Amon has said has already come true. For instance us- we have created the machine. It will either aid us in our endeavor… or destroy us."

"Void Lords. How many are there?" Cream repeated. "Machine… the one I gave to Mephiles?"

The third replied, "Yes, it will be in safe hands for a time. When that time comes to a halt we might not be able to help any longer."

"Including Amon, there is one other that I know… the Faceless One, "The second said.

"And the Forgotten One." The first also said.

"There may be more." The third stated.

Cream thought this over, "What happens now?"

"Now," The third Inventor smiled, "Now you begin your journey as the Inventor."


	17. Chapter 16: Forget

**Chapter 16**

 **Forget**

 **Capitulation Through Anarchy**

 **Doctor Grigori Finitevus**

Author's Note

Day 323 of 2870

"To assume the role of ruler, monarch, president, or even "high class" is essentially misguided and otherwise a poor evolutionary gene. Let God rule, or no man at all.

As I write this to you in the cold cells of Kahzania-Ra, I think back to a time before the oppressive Camelot, or the unforgiving country I rot in. I am only eight and yet I remember a time when there was no rule. The first echidnas of Albion- although short lived, they were truly the perfect people, taken from Mobius by the evil Jordann family.

I tire of the smell of rot and feces and piss. I hope that some day I can smell the greens of my earthly home. Perhaps I can see the stars once more, or the sun. I've almost run out of space to write.

They have taken the one thing I treasured most. The one thing that we all keep deep within. The thing that makes us animals. I am lost now, I feel nothing. They have turned me a ghostly white, and all for glory, all for a creature's glory, a creature made of pure darkness.

Dimitri and I will find a way to get out. The day will come when all will know my name. No single animal will ever rule again when my time comes."

 **Section I**

 **Introduction**

 **Chapter 1**

Let not man rule, but God himself. Abolishment by numbers, government by theocracy, rule by none for the many.

"And there were many falsehoods which took me by surprise, for I witnessed a people that were warned and taken by false eloquence and many were deceived by but a crown."

Paltonius was not the only animal to be dissuaded by the fierceness of a higher government, and he won't be the last. It has been years since the fall of Kahzania-Ra, a coup staged by Camelot herself. You might think that the late empire is different than Camelot. People are led to believe that Camelot and her King, Arthur Pendragon are the saviors of Mobius. But so thought the peoples of Kahzania, so thought the peoples of their kings, of their empires. There is not one underlining difference between these two countries.

The government of Kahzania-Ra began roughly around 2200, six hundred years later, they would still be known as the most powerful country Mobius had ever seen. And whether or not you lived in the northeast, you still would have heard of the astronomically advanced and large kingdom. It wasn't until Jordann himself began ruling that there was a change in the land. Darkness crept in through the crags and ears of animals. There was a cold that would never be forgotten. And he and his wife would use this fear to meld their will into the minds of all animals alike.

Surely a tyrant would have his restraints. Surely he would care what kind of man his son would become if he led the way he did. Jordann was nothing short of an evil sympathizer. Were it not for his son Dimitri's selflessness, I would not be here, and you would not be reading my words as I write them. Dimitri not only stood up, against his father, but he fled to Echidnopolis, and he would soon meet others like himself…

Terrene had woken up earlier to read one of her favorite books. Before that she was being taken care of and watched over by Cream, the young rabbit. The seedling cared little about the arguments the multiple Creams were having. So she barred herself in her room and spoke only to Friend in quiet whispers. She stopped reading for a few minutes, and only thought to herself during that time.

"What is it?" Friend wondered.

Terrene did not respond, but she did get up on her bed to see the grass things outside. Although blurry to her, she could see they waved away in the wind. With her father gone, she could now go out and explore, she thought. It wasn't like her to be so optimistic, but there it was again- the thought of her father, gone, it gave her something. Hope? Rage? Whatever it was it was closer to hate. That bitterness, was it normal? She hated her father, and she hated herself because of her father. Was it all really worth it?

"Please don't think that way." Friend noted whatever was ailing the small, yellowish seedling.

"You know I hate it when you do that. Why can't you just wait for me to talk?" Terrene waited for a response.

"Forgive me." He said.

The seedling got down, made her way to her library and stopped again. She looked at her book. She touched the words of her book without seeing them. She realized she didn't have to put it away. She could actually take it outside and enjoy it there. She grabbed the book and opened her door lightly, so as not to make too much noise. Downstairs she heard a quiet susurrus, a mixture of the bunch of them talking amongst themselves. Though unintelligible to her, Terrene suspected some of it had to do with her.

Luckily, each step downwards was muffled by the wetness the rotting house had absorbed. Terrene came to somewhat the same scene she had left the night before. A confusing number of rabbits were still arguing over each other, and the rest- strangers she felt she couldn't get acquainted to. When Terrene reached the lower level, a few Creams stopped and looked at her. Even though she was looking at the same individual, Terrene could tell that each were different in their own way, just by the way they each composed themselves. The first was filled with anger, something Terrene could relate with, however, she hated her the most for what she had done to Mephiles. The second was quiet but sure of herself, something about her seemed familiar, and not because she had already met a younger version of Cream before. The third was also reserved but had either little or too much to say at once. She could not be trusted. Terrene did not know the reason why. And then there was young Cream, the two locked visually for but a second. This Cream had cared for her, been with her, and loved her in some way.

Terrene looked away and she made her way out the front door. She heard quietly inside, "I'll go with her." The wind whipped across her face violently, it was going to be another one of those days without the sun she thought. She looked upwards at the sky, the moon was the way it was before, untouched, and in one piece. Had she imagined it all? Terrene spread her few toes on the grass below her. She felt at peace with the flora available to her. She gasped quietly and remembered the grass thing from before. Nothing would keep her this time. The flower of the sun was still where it was supposed to be- to her right a little ways away from her home next to more grass things.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Terrene said quietly, waiting for a response from Friend. "Friend?" She asked now looking around. Nonchalantly she looked past the flower. Something there had caught her attention before, and it was there again. A black figure was walking towards her.

"I don't think we've properly met."

"Ah!" Terrene jumped and looked behind her. Three times the size of her was a human like the one she remembered from long ago, only taller.

"Pardon me." The human crouched down, "I didn't mean to scare you." He raised his right hand, "My name is Amel."

Terrene blushed but mimicked the human's greeting, "Terrene, it's a pleasure."

Amel smiled, he knew nothing of the seedling, and wondered why that was. "I think it's strange also."

The seedling made a face, "What's strange?"

"Well, that there just so happens to be four or so different Creams in one place. And you probably think I'm some strange looking animal." He chuckled.

Terrene also laughed, "I've met someone like you before. His name was Chris." She smirked and held her breath when she got a closer look at the human's white, pointy, hat. "Maybe funny-clothed."

The two stopped as Amel looked up at the sky. The seedling sensed he wanted to say something. The wind clapped against the two and Terrene could barely hear the clicking, pensive tongue of the human. The tall grass waved in agreement of the wind, the rotting house moaned as it was invaded by the cacophony. Amel finally said, "I have a message for you."

"A message from whom?" Terrene wondered.

"From your mother." Amel reached for the girl's shoulder but was quickly rejected, he frowned.

The seedling took a step back and made a face. She took a breath and finally said, "She… is _dead_."

Amel noticed the hatred within the seedling's eyes. There was fear of someone or something in her heart. He felt a dark presence within her. It made its way in through his eyes, it polluted his mind, it wanted him to concede everything, it tore down his spine like red-hot needles, and for a moment it took over. Amel tried to resist and look away but was awestruck and locked, gazing at the seedling's blue eyes. He tried gasping and quickly realized he was out of breath, somehow he could not take in new breath. Terrene noticed this and eased her way aside, leaving the human coughing for a moment. Terrene ran away from the rotting house and disappeared through the tall grass. She heard Amel cry out for her, "Wait!" The tall grass in her way slapped across her whole body. The seedling began to tremble with great ferocity. She stopped to catch her breath. Terrene began to panic when her breathing became shallower and shallower. She stumbled backwards and hit the back of her head on the mud below, staining her very yellowish hair behind her. She felt her body being pulled upwards into the sky, but no such thing happened. She not once closed her eyes, instead stared deep into the sky above her. She waited until she shivered only a little and breathed a little better.

The wind blew differently and more quietly. Terrene finally noticed the sky was dark, it had been plain daylight when she ran, she must have been staring into nothing longer than she had anticipated. She pulled herself upwards and walked the same way she had been running. She spat out tiny blades of grass as they entered her mouth. She heard a noise from behind her and she crouched and called out, "Friend?" When there was no answer she was more frightened than ever. She got up and walked a lot faster. She could hardly see, there was a mist in front of her, it had a dark hue, it almost seemed alive.

The seedling made her way out of the patch of grass and saw that in front of her was her rotting house. She looked around and thought she must have walked in a circle. She heard another noise, this time it was more distinct, it sounded like someone murmuring. Even though it made it worse, Terrene closed her eyes and whispered, "I mustn't be afraid."

"Confident, little one. You flee where you are unwanted, and you hide where I can see you."

Terrene recognized the voice, it was the same from her nightmares. Whatever was around her, misty and terrifying, it called out to her. It was as red as blood. The seedling gasped out for air as she went in the direction of the rotting house. She tripped many times on wet puddles she could not see. There was a glow inside the house that gave her some direction and light. Behind her she only heard distant laughs and bellows. Terrene fiddled over wood, searching for the round door's knob. Finally opening the door and throwing herself inside, Terrene froze. This was the first time in her short life that she questioned her sanity. Whatever delusion she might have experienced before, was nothing compared to the one before her.

"Hi sweetie, I thought you were upstairs." There he was speaking to her. This was not real, this had to be imagination. Something within her was projecting a ghost. The wiles of the unmistakable subconscious consciousness had clearly defined a being that was deceased. How intrusive, how bodacious, how substantial. "What's wrong? Did you fall over?" The thing had said now getting up to greet her. It inspected her, made its way to the seedling, picked her up, carried her over to where he used to be and lay her on him. It began to clean Terrene from top to bottom, wiping away the mud that stained her face and yellow dress. It brushed away grass from her green shirt. Terrene could only face it or look past him towards the ceiling.

"How far did you go?" He kept talking, and he just held her, like he had done before only a few times. "You know it's hard for you to get by."

There was a gust of something within her, Terrene wanted to scream, she wanted to laugh, and she wanted only to be held. Had she died? Was this her punishment for how she had lived? Blue eyes kept their gaze on her, and now she focused on them. He said, staring back, "Terrene, what's the matter?"

The seedling gave a whimper for a response. Her heart raced, and her breathing increased rapidly as she looked at her father Miles. Her eyes closed suddenly and she could hear her name being called through muffled gasps.

* * *

Terrene was back where she least expected to be- the floating rock with all the pillars. She looked and sure enough, surrounding her was a sort of black cloak as before. It breathed as she breathed, and it followed her in the darkness. The seedling stopped and smelled the air. It gave off a salty aroma, something akin to the sea- she had experienced that scent once before.

There was a mighty roar which shook her core. The yell had come from all around her and she knelt before it. When it finally stopped she looked around and saw a great, red, mist, conceived from the void beyond. The little girl walked closer and closer to the edge until she finally saw where she really was. Beyond was neither space nor blackness, but instead was a great city. A city that made no sense, a city where twilight was its master, and the sea was its neighbor, and the stars above it shined a vertical blackness from top to bottom that moved of its own accord.

For there were horrors in the city that which Terrene could not comprehend nor describe. And the city seemed to grow in every direction for it never ended, it had no edge or focused point of origin. And there were buildings that were produced from side to side but had no foundation. There were beams that held no ceilings, and bridges that led nowhere. There were cascades of water that ran for miles in every direction, but started in no particular place.

Terrene overlooked all of it, but what intrigued her most was what was below her. Beneath the floating pillars was an edifice of great magnitude. It housed vast walls of glass on each side, and decorated with synchronicity were claws or pincers on the tops of these walls. Traveling towards the center were fountains with no water of more pincer-like objects. In the complete center was a gigantesque formation of metal that spiraled upwards. On both sides it spiraled towards the heavens, and made its way up until the two touched each other like the frame of a door. And as they touched they housed each other and resembled a shell but did not close each other off. On the sides of the spirals were large spikes that also went upwards.

And the stars that shined only black were pointed at each of these buildings, and Terrene counted these structures and the blackness. There were five stars, five fields of black, five structures.

Terrene ultimately saw that there was a horror for each structure and they knew she was there, and she knew that they knew, for they looked at her, each horror. And each horror had a name, and they whispered unto Terrene their names. One of which was O'Chgann, he was particularly fond of Terrene.

 _Open me,_ he said, _then will you know peace,_ he whispered, and he was enticing in the way he spoke. For more reasons than one, this particular horror spoke to the seedling in a loving and soothing manner. The monstrosity cared for the little one, he would give her everything, promise her more power than she had. He spoke more, _Your heart is a crater… let us fill it. Everything that we have can be yours, if only you open the bracelet._ He almost sounded like a she. Then the others pitched in,

 _Death… is… close. Otherwise… your heart… might… explode._ He spoke softly but was understood.

 _Obey. They have turned against you… now take your revenge. Ask yourself if these are truly your friends._ He whispered with tenacity and vigor.

 _Open the bracelet of O'Chgann. When you walk among the black forest you will see Him. And when you see the lonesome lamb you will also see the staring houses in the backwoods… it would be merciful to tear them down._ He was the most frightening, he spoke with more confidence than the rest, he was more cunning than the three before him.

 _If you accept my invitation, I will bestow upon you one of my many gifts- when the lamb visits you, give it your answer. And when you meet the Forgotten One, you will receive what was promised, my daughter._

Terrene covered her buddings but the voices lingered. She screamed but could not hear her own voice. But when she finally understood what the last monstrosity had told her, she quieted and waited. They were trying to help her, she realized. They… understood her. They were only there to help her.

* * *

Terrene awoke differently than before and could see nothing but darkness rushing past her. She looked aside and noticed that her surrounding cape was in front of her. She could see that it was a dark purple-ish color.

She finally heard Friend's familiar voice, "Terrene, can you hear me?"

"Yes." She nodded, her voice was muffled and she appeared to be gasping, she was in some form of state that required her to breathe more rapidly, as she felt substances pass through her.

"How is it that we keep going back there?" Friend became agitated.

"I don't know, "Terrene remembered but not clearly. "Who were they? Where was I?"

Friend pondered this but responded altogether, "Deep in the ocean under the stars. I don't very much like them, what did they tell you?"

"Many things…they frightened me." Terrene shivered as thoughts of the never-ending city ran through her mind. "One of them promised me something."

"What? Did you take it?" Friend said with exasperation.

"No." Terrene simply responded.

"Good, I wan…. lis… ully…"

* * *

Calmed, Terrene opened her eyes and was where she expected to be. Smells of decaying wood and grass things invaded her pores, they were familiar and she welcomed the scent. What she did not expect was waking up to another familiar feeling, this one was of touch. It felt soft and massive and it surrounded her. She gazed up at her father. Even the creatures of her dreams made more sense than that which she looked upon. She remembered how tender he was with her the night before. She wanted to stay for him, she needed to cry with him. If this was real, then she never wanted to leave.

Before she could relax, something appeared outside the seedling's periphery and it spooked her and she trembled. She got up and stepped over sleeping Miles. She saw a creature she had never seen before, it was gray and small and have hooves and small antlers. What was more terrifying was that it had seven eyes, and each eye gazed at a different part of her. It spoke, "I can see you, confident, little one."

Terrene ran past Miles, upwards she went up her stairs and fell, hitting her soft head on the wood, blacking out for a moment. Her head swirled upwards and downwards, she rubbed at her head and felt a giant bump. She peeked out to see if the animal was still there and gasped to see no Miles, but the people she had left. They looked at her as they were ready to leave, some at the door and others just barely getting up.

"How did you do that?"

"She's right here Amel."

"Where did you go?"

The voices asked but for a moment Terrene could not answer. Her head was preoccupied with the thought of her dead father. She questioned what she had seen. Perhaps she had been dreaming the entire time. But that would still not explain how she had ended up inside the house without all of them noticing. Terrene sighed and composed herself to her normal stature, "I was just upstairs."

"Don't lie girl, we saw you leave the house not two minutes ago." The first Inventor called out.

But before anyone else could argue or ask any other questions, the third Inventor got up nonchalantly and announced, "I think it's time for us to leave."

"I agree." The second Inventor said and the first arose to match the two.

"Wait, "Small Cream called out, "I still have so many questions. What's going to happen to me?" The girl sounded more frightened and exasperated than she wanted to.

The third Inventor looked around at the home she had constructed in a different memory and in a different reality. She consumed all of the different scents it gave off, the structure was the same as she had left it. The embers were dead but engraved deep within her. This was a story that was in her past but could certainly be retold in the future. She turned to her younger self, "When we meet for the second time, I will reveal what needs to be revealed." She looked to the seedling, crouched down so only she could hear her and whispered, "Do you accept?" She waited but the seedling gave no response and a confused look. "You will be given one more opportunity." The third Inventor looked away again once more. With that, the Inventors took up their Caliburns and burned through the matter in front of them as if it was a thinly veiled material, and they were gone. When the ripples in the fabric of reality vanished, it left a small hole and tiny sparks of some kind.

* * *

Wherever you lived you would have heard of this evil darkness that consumed the lands of the east. You probably were used to calling him Demon, or the Dark One, the Shadow of a Thousand, or even Kingslayer. Dimitri and I fled a long to Downunda, but it would seem this evil would follow. Dimitri had made a pact with Mephiles and my soul was already given to him. And through this, our destinies were intertwined for many centuries. We kept a watchful eye on him, serving him unquestioningly. But the more the centuries passed, the more fanatic Dimitri became. With his obsession came the Legion of Darkness, and with the Legion, Mephiles was able to control the 99 percent of Echidnopolis, even to this day.

But the one true god would not allow such evil to reign. The Camelot Freedom Fighters led by Maximillian and Ban. Little did the world know that Max and Ban were part of the Legion, and their kingdoms would be short lived.

…

The battle of the unnatural current waged on for little time. All kingdoms and factions were defeated by the creature our god calls N'Zoth.

…

And the final battle of the kingdoms took place in Echidnopolis, where the line of Acorns died, and the line of Knottingham was lost.

…

I, Finitevus, your god, banded together all nations and created one United Mobian Directorate. A nation where all animals could live in peace. Only a few lawless remained, but not for long.

* * *

As soon as the three Inventors had left, there was a noisy silence that instilled emptiness, especially unto younger Cream. Even though it was still whole, there was a part of the house that appeared and felt to be missing. Strangely but understandably, it took the rest of the group time to readjust, so no one spoke for hours. Each was contemplating to themselves, wondering if they should leave or stay. The indecisiveness stayed palpable until the rest of the evening.

Cream had found a backpack close to Terrene the night before, but had only just begun searching inside. She had found a few story books for children, some food, one of Cosmo's dresses, and a small notebook. She opened a random page and started reading:

"In the laws of science we learn that every equation must be balanced, too much of a product could lead to a bad reaction, regardless of the catalyst. Perhaps that is what Mephiles was trying to show me. Perhaps there was no Cosmo to begin with. If every product must have an equal reaction, then why did she have to leave? There was no reason for this, if the product was a positive yielding equation, why did she have to die?"

The rabbit gasped quietly as she read the next line.

"I got close to killing myself today. I was supposed to be gathering food. I planned to go farther down Soumerca when I found a cliff's edge overlooking the sea. I've never been close to that, but just for that moment, I didn't feel peace, I didn't feel any release. And there wasn't just darkness. It was agony. Pure, unadulterated, and writhing with pain. If I left, would Terrene even notice me gone? I know that's selfish to think, and I don't think I could ever leave her. But my daughter loathes me. And I have given her every reason to do so towards me.

"Many times I would hear Terrene talking to herself. I perceived this to be something that is normal in childhood, even I as I child had imaginary friends. But it wasn't until a few weeks ago that she told me things this "imaginary" had told her about me. It wasn't until recently that she has become more violent, I suspect the two go hand in hand. I'm no doctor but I suspect this is much worse, such as paranoia and schizophrenia.

Terrene has kept asking me if she could go outside. It seems at times strange to me, it's as if she does not even know or recognize that she is blind."

 **Hey you. Did you know that this is book 3 of the series? Try "Inventor" then "Mother" first.**


	18. Chapter 17: The Undying Awakens

**Chapter 17**

 **The Undying Awakens**

Aran trembled in not only fear but rage. The moment before he had witnessed Mother herself. He had been charged with guarding the dead. He was the Keeper of Spirits! He realized he was still bowed down before her, even though she and that dreadful Amel had passed to his realm. But whatever thought ran through his mind, positive or not, he could not get up. Had he failed his mission? Amel had always gotten it his way, and because of him, he had lost the woman he loved. Aran loathed Amel for what he had done to Len. The guardian could never forgive him.

In his hatred Aran heard something soft, like a susurrus in his ear from afar. _Aran…_ it whispered.

"Are you coming brother?" Amel called out.

Aran got up and looked at Amel and his companions, and the new Lifebinder: Mother. She was most pleasing to look upon. She radiated and gave light to his dark passage. She was a plant species and had a beautiful green dress that extended all the way to the ground, and was the tallest of the most of them, only Aran compared in height.

"Of course, " Aran took up his spear and pushed his way through to Mother, "I serve the Lifebinder!"

Mother smiled, and when she did all before her felt peace. She waited until the guardian led the way and followed. The passage beyond was darker than before. The Lifebinder was the only light inside. Aran did not however need this light. His armor shook all around his body as he moved, adjusting to whatever condition he was in. He gripped his spear tightly in his hand, he began trembling again and feared the others had noticed.

 _Aran…_

There it was again, another whisper from beyond the beyond. Aran had heard this his whole life but never quite realized that it was the truth.

 _Aran…_

The voice was incorruptible, it was beatifying in its simplicity. Whatever the guardian heard he tried keeping himself physically pristine as possible. He did not want to reveal his predicament to the others. They probably already thought he was a fool for letting them go by to _his_ realm. But it was for the Lifebinder. How could this be anything other than righteous.

 _Aran!_

The voice grew in intensity, it was consuming him, and yet he remained vigilant and courteous. Finally, the guardian, Mother, Amel, the Inventor and Blaze reached what was darkness in its purity, but the guardian stopped them all. Aran looked back at a smiling Mother. He too wanted to smile, but so much of his life was filled with anger that he could not. He placed his hand in front of him and said, "By the power handed to me by Aman'Thul himself, the Keeper of Spirits demands passage to the realm beyond!"

For a time nothing occurred and Aran just waited there. The rest looked at each other in confusion, but only Mother remained the most composed. Ultimately the darkness shifted for a moment and stopped. Then again it shifted, this time to the left, then to the right, until everywhere at once the darkness moved. Aran's hand was still placed in front of him. The darkness moved as was commanded and it moaned lightly. The darkness moved until there was lighter than before. All around them everything changed. In truth they were not in darkness but rather a spacious room and a building of odd design before them. The building had seven three pillars stacked above, adorning the very top, two on the sides matching the height of the edifice, and two in the front also matching the height. Aran waited and turned to the group, "Who is it you seek my queen." He bowed again before the Lifebinder.

Mother placed her hand on Aran's shoulder and said, "Please, you do not have to bow."

"At once!" Aran quickly got up and waited for another command.

"We seek my father Lucas." Mother said. Somehow, the information had returned to her that rapidly.

Aran turned and placed his right hand on the right pillar and his left on the left pillar. He called out, "Bring forth the Lost One!"

From beyond the beyond there was laughing and crying, even the gnashing of terrible teeth. The group had never heard such cries and bellows of torturous agony. Soon afterwards a port was opened and out came a plant-like being like Mother, only male. He gasped and coughed violently.

"Oh thank you! Please do not take me back! Please I beg you." The Lost One pleaded. Aran chuckled and took his spear, hitting the Thorndrigan to be quiet.

"There will be no need for that!" Mother commanded and Aran stood by. She crouched down before her father and waited until he could see her. He gasped when he saw one of his kind.

"Who are you?" Lucas waited but might have realized on his own, "Cosmo." He shirked and waited for anyone else to speak.

"You will refer to her as Lifebinder!" Aran readied his spear once more but Mother gave him a stern look and he backed away again.

"Where did they send you?" Mother asked.

"Lifebinder?" The Lost One chuckled, "You mean they didn't tell you?"

"Are they treating you well?" Mother feared the worst. This made Amel grow anxious. At this Lucas laughed.

"There is no "they". Where we've been sent- you could not even imagine." Lucas said coldly, hiding the all the pain he had been experiencing. "It isn't a prison. It is hell."

Mother turned to Amel, flabbergasted at the thought and asked him, "Is it true?"

Amel only nodded. He had only heard of the realm of the dead, but had never actually been there himself. But he could have guessed what horrors awaited those that served the dark.

"Then I need to see it." Mother proclaimed, this time Amel stood his ground while he confronted her about it.

"We can take the Lost One, we have many questions for him, but please I must protest against this. That is somewhere even I can't go. I think it would be best if we just began your training." Said Amel.

Mother raised her hand and spoke, "Stay with my father. Guardian, take me beyond."

"Right away my light." Aran said as he smirked at Amel. "This way." He pointed between the four pillars in front of them. The two vanished without a trace, leaving the four alone.

"What did you see in there?" The Inventor asked but the Lost One did not respond, he only looked at the ground before him and could not help but shake.

Inside the realm beyond, Mother and the guardian Aran took some time to readjust to the darkness. For it seemed that they were in a void. Blacker than black, and there seemed like there was no room to breathe or speak. Mother realized she was standing on solid rock and before her lay seven pillars like the ones before she entered. But below her she saw the city.

"What do you call this place?" Mother asked while she shivered coldly.

"The city under the stars. The mouth of the ocean." Aran grew quiet.

Mother could hear the souls of the dead crying out to her. She was the only light in the city. And she could also hear the voices. They made no sense in her mind. Being there for a time made the Lifebinder anxious. Never had she felt such darkness, such loneliness. "We are taking them all back with us." She motioned towards the screams of the dead.

"But…" Aran spoke but stopped, "This is their punishment. These aren't your ordinary murderers or thieves. These are beings who once served the Lords of Darkness!"

"I don't care." Mother said, "They have suffered long enough. I can hear them. They all cry out to me."

Aran gripped his spear tightly, "At once… your grace." He pushed his spear rapidly unto the rock onto which he stood upon and called out, "Come spirits, your sentence is finished!"

 _Aran…_

When the pair returned, they were not alone. There were many sullen faces and spirits that had not regained bodies, much like the Lost One.

"What's all this?" Amel asked.

"We're taking them with us. How many Beacons are there?"

"A few." Amel responded.

A line of spirits followed the living and led them out of the realm of the dead. Each spirit truly had endured their own special hell. Only Aran stayed behind.

 _Aran…_ they called out. This time the guardian of the dead listened and entered the city once again.

* * *

Amel stared at the blank but dignified faces surrounding him. One was of Silver. A hedgehog who his-Inventor-but-now-not-really-his-Inventor told him he needed to be there. He was quiet when he wanted to, but spoke to his point when he needed to. Another was of Marine, a small raccoon girl. To Amel's knowledge she first seemed with much energy when they first met in the prison the animals called Chestnut. But considering everything that had happened, this was probably a polar opposite effect for the girl.

Then there was the strange cat who he knew only as Blaze. Amel had always been able to handle the keys handed down to him. The power had given him rite to give new, exalted bodies to those most worthy. But meeting the cat, he knew no new name, he could not even speak, but a body was surely given. Amel also knew that Silver and Blaze had a connection in a previous life. Specifically he did not understand what that might be, but he suspected something in particular, seeing and reading Silver's expressions was not terribly difficult.

Cream on the other hand was a tight lid ready to explode, or so Amel thought. Not once did he see her talk or express about her fallen companion. This was worrisome but he knew everyone dealt with things differently. For instance, he would have done something similar a million years ago-so to speak. But looking at her begged the question, could she really start her own journey as the Inventor? He was not familiar with this version's childhood, or was he? How could he know? Amel hoped everything would work out.

Lastly, Amel looked upon Terrene who had not laid an eye on either of them for the rest of the evening. She only spoke to herself, which Amel thought odd but nothing more of it passed his mind. To the Inventor he knew, she thought it was imperative that Terrene live. Apparently one Inventor had killed a version of Terrene. Amel was against the taking of innocent lives, especially that of a child. But the way she made Terrene sound, was extraordinary. Amel could not deny there was something –he wouldn't even say special, special was not the right word- supernatural about the girl. Strangely enough, Amel did not remember a single thing in the Augury about a small plant girl, and daughter of Mother for that matter.

Amel remembered the reasons he was there, but could he go back to Mother, a failed majordomo? He could not force Terrene to listen to Mother's message. It was a simple and sweet one as well, definitely one that would help Terrene. But looking at the poor child, he could only see hatred and something… dark.

"Tails says that he thinks he might have found refuge, somewhere down Soumerca. He says he might have found a Felidae temple." Cream looked at the group, setting down the small notebook.

"You want us to leave?" Asked Marine.

"I bet it's a lot safer than here." Cream added

"Where is Soumerca?" Silver also didn't feel quite safe where he was.

Cream drew a line on the wet wood and pointed in the middle, "We are on the border of Drabdun. South of the border is Soumerca.

"And these Felidae are…?" Amel wondered.

"Felines." Cream smiled, "I knew a cat from Soumerca once.

"We need to find a way to get back home." Silver mentioned and Marine nodded.

"I could take you through port." Amel offered.

"What about them?" Silver pointed at Terrene and Cream, "They are my only reservation."

"And I wish I could stay girls," Amel began, "But Mo-, Cosmo needs my help." The name made Terrene raise a brow.

Cream gasped as her eyes widened, "How could I forget? Do you know where she is?"

Amel shook his head, "She has passed to the next world. But know she misses all of you very much." Amel smiled warmly at the disappointed and saddened Cream.

"Please tell her… that Cream misses her too." Cream sighed.

"I will." Amel promised. While the oddly dressed human prepared to leave with Blaze, he stared a moment at the small seedling. He wondered again if it was right to leave her without her mother's message.

Amel left in a hurry, while Terrene and Friend whispered so they couldn't be heard.

"Terrene where did you go?" Friend questioned the unsuspecting seedling.

"Friend?" Terrene asked, not knowing how to react and jumping from the sudden fright. "Finally, where have you been?"

"We were escaping the city and then you were gone. Where were _you_?" The voice seemed testy but caring and sympathetic. Cream looked over at the seedling, giving Terrene a strange feeling of self-consciousness, so she whispered more quietly.

"You mean you don't remember? Terrene asked. She eyed the rabbit once more. Getting up she began to walk towards the way of the front door.

"Where are you going?" Cream asked, the other two looking the seedling's way.

"Just outside." Terrene responded.

"I'll go with you." Cream insisted.

"No I'm fine. Daddy would always let me got outside on my own." Terrene lied but the rabbit wasn't buying any of it.

"C'mon." The rabbit followed the seedling outside.

"I said no!" Terrene yelled and found herself in a sitting position.

"Where were you Terrene? We were escaping the city and then… nothing." Friend asked.

"What?" Terrene was back with the group and could make out little sense of the situation. "How did I get here?"

"What?" Friend whispered. "What do you mean?"

Terrene looked around, confused she glanced around the room. She had somehow gotten up but wound herself back where she had started next to Cream. The rabbit looked back at her, for a moment she stared and then she smiled. Terrene however did not smile back, but only looked down at her small toes and made a knot in her hair with her hand.

When a moment had passed, Terrene decided to try again and got up. She headed towards the door again.

"Where are you off to?" Cream asked.

"I'll be back." Terrene offered that much and hoped the rabbit would not follow. Terrene closed the door behind her and could finally relax.

Inside Cream said, "I'll keep an eye on her."

"What just happened?" Terrene asked.

"With what? What are you talking about?" Friend wondered for a second time.

"Never mind, when I was gone-" Terrene started but could hear a rustling in the direction she first saw the yellowish flower. Even in the dark the seedling could see a purple outline of something, or someone.

"Friend? Who is that?" Terrene cried but there came no answer.

"Whom have you been speaking to, little one? What did they promise you?"

Terrene looked around and saw the same animal as before. A small, gray-looking beast with hooves and small antlers.

"Answer me!" It yelled.

Terrene covered her eyes and crouched down. She wanted to beast to go away. And it did. When the girl opened her eyes again it was a little less dark. The creature was gone but her fright did not abate. The red mist was back and it could see her, and she knew that it could see her. "Friend?" She called out, and still Friend could not call back. She turned back and went inside the rotting house.

But instead of seeing her group, she saw him again. It was her father Miles.

"Is there a back door that I don't know about?" He chuckled to himself.

"Daddy?" Terrene almost choked on her own words. "Is that you?"

The fox looked strangely at his daughter, "Yes honey, its daddy."

The seedling ran to him, it was unexpected, even to her. But there was something she need to say as she hugged him, could she say the words? Sitting down was making Miles nose press against her stomach which in turn made her giggle.

"You've been acting weird." Miles said in a muffled voice. When he sat her down next to him, his tone changed, "I meant what I said. You can tell me anything Giggles."

"Giggles?" Terrene wondered as she giggled, "Who's this Giggles?"

"You are silly." Miles bopped her on where a nose should be.

The seedling almost couldn't believe it herself. She was actually having a conversation with her own father. A father that was supposedly dead. She did not know how it was possible, but that didn't matter in the slightest. She was glad she was there with him.

"My name is Terrene." She let herself go, she let herself feel again.

"Hm. What about, Boobaloo." He offered.

"Boobaloo?!" She shook her head and laughed.

"Hm, what about Princess?" He asked.

She wrinkled her cheeks at the name.

"What about, Ms. Poopy-boopy?" Miles chuckled.

She giggled. She giggled some more. She cried, she began to wail.

"Hey." He said, in an extremely worried fashion. "What is it baby?"

For a few straight minutes, Terrene could not help but shed tears. She was of course still a child. A child who had endured much in the past few days. Only one who now had so little, was offered so much, and had too many to find and to save. The house quieted as the seedling did, until only the flicker of the one candle, shining the whole inside of the house could be heard.

"Daddy…" She whispered through muffled gasps.

"Yes baby." He quietly said.

"I love you." She pressed herself against the fox as he pressed back.

"I love you too." He responded.

"Daddy?" She asked.

"Yes Terrene." He told her.

Terrene looked at Miles' stomach and was surprised to see he had no scar on his right side-leading to his belly. "Tell me a story."

 **I'm just gonna spoil the end for you, Bruce Willis ends up being a ghost or something, but hey I already finished part 2 so you'll get the next chapter two weeks from now 5/8/17, until we reach 19.**

 **Can we get some predictions on what's going to happen? Other than the ghost thing of course.**


	19. Chapter 18: A Look Into What's Next

**Chapter 18**

 **A Look Into What's Next**

A great mewl called out from the void. The cry seethed with anxiety and could be heard throughout the darkness. The darkness was crying out for help. Within the void were beings of untold power. They possessed the ability to create death in the blink of an eye. But even with such power they were helpless against something they themselves had created. And that creation neared them from beyond to visit them. The creation appeared as a red mist. It began to suck away at the dark beings with such pleasure that it would be shocking to you or me.

"Amon! Your treachery will not soon go unpunished!" A faceless voice, imprisoned from within the void called out.

"Did you forget? We created you, we can unmake you just as easily." A forgotten voice called out, dark and precise.

"Our time of release is it hand." An unspeakable voice said, one that was forbidden to speak of.

"Savor your moment under the sun, for we walk under the stars." A voice that should not be rang out.

"There can be no light in the darkest crag, feel the waves crashing down on you!" An elder voice spat back at Amon.

"At the hour if your third death, comes the herald, and so does the lamb with no eyes…" A demonic voice whispered.

"What was promised shall never be forgotten. What was given shall be retaken. All will know our names, none will remember yours." The master called.

Amon recoiled in horror from the void. He knew his time was running out so he redoubled his efforts.

* * *

 _I think he returns to us now, I can sense him getting closer._ A dark and raspy voice could be heard in Amel's mind as he walked with the multitude of forgotten spirits.

 _Yes…_ there was a series of clicks, _there are many of them._ This voice often made clicking and slurring noises.

Amel's strength returned to him tenfold as he heard his fellow Majordomo counterparts. The oddly dressed human thought, _Xan? 'Rakish? Is that really you?_

 _The same,_ Anub'Rakish responded, _it gladdens me that you can hear me once again._

 _I agree,_ more clicking, _you shouldn't have so many doubts young human._ Xan'thil chuckled in the way his species only could.

Amel realized, _you could hear me the entire time? How come I could not hear you?_

 _We have much to discuss dear friend._

Amel jumped in a giddy child-like state as the spirits walking next to him viewed him in a different light. They too seemed to enjoy the behavior the oddly dressed human was portraying, it gave them some semblance of hope. The human had no reservations against those he was amongst. And who was he to question the will of the new Lifebinder. He thought of the many lessons the High Father had taught him. Truly he was being tested by some higher power, and if he failed, he might yet end up like the spirits he was next to. But had he not already failed in his heart for doubting the will of the Augury? Had he not succumb to the wiles of the darkness as Aran had put it?

The human thought this over and over until finally the multitude of spirits and he and the others reached the Beacon of Hope. It was a massive fortress-like realm overlooking many, many worlds. The exalted beings that had made this place their home looked upon the spirits with disgust as they entered the city. Were it not for Mother leading them, they might have surely spat on them as well. Amel noticed that at the front stood waiting many familiar faces such as: Anub'Rakish, a gargantuan Nerubian, a warrior of royalty when he was alive. Xan'thil, a Qiraji, also a warrior of his time, his massiveness came in height instead of girth like Rakish. Gnosi, a Xorda, and a high ranking officer of his kind. He was a pink creature with one eye and had various pink tentacles. Imperious, another human like Amel, dark-colored, strong and befit for his standing, he was known as experience itself, hence the name. Vivliothikarios and Enotitas, female and male. Both counterparts and of the same species, their kind was called Protoss, tall and imposing but kind-hearted with glowing, bright, blue eyes.

The three Majordomo greeted each other. Much time had passed since the trio had seen one another, so they shared pleasant feelings amongst themselves but without speaking. It was through thought that each Majordomo could experience what their counterpart was going through.

"Amel my friend, we feared the worst had come about you." Rakish boomed with glorious contentment.

"I kept telling him… humans are capable beings…" In between clicking and slurring Xan spoke. "I for one was not worried at all…"

"Where did you go? Once we were attacked… it happened so fast." Amel said.

"We retreated," Rakish responded, "To Aggramar's Keep."

"Of course." Amel realized now that that too should have been the place to go after an attack. Aggramar's Keep was a city-wall, keeping out the many numerous Legion-infested worlds from the lives the Pantheon hoped to protect. This city-wall was the main line of defense against the Legion and it was worlds and worlds long. If part of the keep fell then a specific beacon would fill whatever hole it could. "I take it they are still holding out?"

Rakish nodded sadly, "Not by much my friend. We are losing this war." The massive Nerubian looked at the multitude of spirits and a glowing creature leading them. "Is that her?" Finally seeing her in person gave the Nerubian and others hope.

"Straight from the Augury itself…" Xan commented as he looked upon Mother. All glowing beings that could see her bowed before her.

"You honor us with your presence great one." Gnosi floated onwards towards Mother.

"I'd like to speak to whoever is in charge." Mother demanded softly.

The group looked among one other but one raised a hand and introduced himself, "That would be you, High One, I Imperious, am but your servitor."

"As are we, Enotitas." The tall being placed one hand on his chest and nodded.

"Vivliothikarios." She as well did the same thing as Enotitas.

"Let us lead you to a place of quiet." Imperious started but was cut off by Mother.

Said she while directed at Amel, "Why do these people have bodies when some do not?"

Amel looked at the other spirits that came with them, "That is their punishment… for how they lived their lives."

The plant girl looked shocked then sullen, "Then if I am in charge, they are forgiven, all of them."

As Mother said the words those spirits that could hear her yelled thanks and whispered what they had just heard to those behind them. Soon the crowd became a joyous mixture of laughter and gratefulness, some raised their arms in praise of the girl, and others got down on their knees and prayed. Slowly, some of the exalted beings began to leave with spite in their hearts, others wondered the motives of this new Lifebinder.

Amel took this in for a moment, "Of course. That is your will." He turned to his counterparts and thought about how much work would have to be done with all the wandering spirits. "Come." He told them but Mother soon stopped him.

"I'm going to need your help." Mother smiled at the human.

"Right. Training. Of course." Amel smirked but looked back at the two other Majordomos.

"We will take care of it." Rakish promised and Xan nodded.

The Beacon of Hope also housed a spacious edifice that overlooked most of the populace. The court was where Mother and the others met and began. It was Imperious that started, he clutched a marble seat as he watched some sit, while others only stood around. "Your grace has done a benevolent thing today, giving those outcast spirits a second chance. You take well after Eonar herself."

"I think I met her before." Mother remembered the first time she met the human alongside her.

"Amel and she will have time to go over the Augury after this." Gnosi raised a tentacle, "We must discuss the matter of the war."

"The Beacons Reality, Life, and Charity have fallen prey to the Legion. Only Hope, Worship, Time, and Spirit remain." Enotitas scoffed at their bad luck, "If Aggramar's Keep falls, the worlds we have tried to keep safe…"

"We need to move all available Beacons to Aggramar's Keep." Vi stated without hesitation.

"And if we are too late? I don't think it wise to leave our worlds unattended." Imperious kept himself constituted, he regularly glanced over to the plant girl to read her expressions.

"I agree with Vi." Enotitas said.

"As do I." Gnosi raised a pink tentacle, "Leaving now to defend the keep would give us an advantage.

"Mother, if we but activated the pillars of creation we would quell this outbreak rapidly and decisively." Imperious declared.

Fuming from anger Gnosi got up and pointed many accusatory tentacles against the dark human, "This is not the first time you have mentioned the pillars! The instruments of the Titans are only to be used by mortal hands. Besides, we can deal with the Legion."

The plant girl confusedly glared at Amel as he explained, "We were told by the High Ones that it was imperative that their creations, their instruments were only to be used by those mortal that we protect. Why this was appointed so… we never questioned the will of the Pantheon."

"Do you see how Imperious seeks to pervert the will of the Pantheon?" Gnosi spat towards the human.

"We are all that's left of the Pantheon. We must make those ugly decisions now." Imperious said almost monotonously.

"He's right." Mother said and all quieted. "There must be a new order. But if most of you agree that the Beacons must be moved, then so be it."

Imperious smiled to himself and quietly obliged, never showing disgrace to Mother, and always smiling.

The Inventor chuckled to herself while clutching softly at her sword. Both she and Blaze felt oddly out of place.

* * *

Silver and Marine went looking for the Felidae in the south, meanwhile Terrene slept alongside her father in a world much like her own.

The rotting house was massive from the outside. Impressively, it was only built by two animals, a couple. The couple had in mind that they would have many children so the house withstood. There was placed eight bedrooms on the top floor, four bathrooms, two living rooms which should have been divided but the wall had collapsed, a kitchen and an annex which seemed to house nothing in particular-because there was no furniture or material possessions anywhere(aside from the library upstairs). Circumventing most of the rotting house was a combination of tall grass and mud, serving as if it were a moat. The wind still moaned angrily at the sight of no light.

Terrene awoke happily of her own accord. She silently stretched her limbs and moved her head upwards. Miles was still there. If this was not a dream, then how could it all be possible? How had Terrene been able to travel back to a time or place where her father still lived? Had she gone back in time like she had before? Terrene considered this possibility and hoped that Friend might answer her thoughts. Even with all these troubling thoughts clouding Terrene, almost instantly another devious notion entered her mind. Like before, would the gray animal follow her here? Terrene did not even want to wait for that to be answered. She thoughtfully got herself up but immediately felt lightheaded.

A second later she could hear a sound from upstairs. It creaked and neared her. Instinctively, something within Terrene changed. Precisely and instantly her body underwent a queer metamorphosis. She glimmered softly until she felt herself become lighter, yet still very present. The creaking stopped and she could see that another Terrene like her had made her way down the stairs. Terrene held her breath, waiting for this clone to react to her. But the doppelganger hardly did anything, in fact it did not even see her.

"Daddy?" The other Terrene asked. If there was another Terrene, then it was possible that this Miles was not Terrene's father, only another version's father. Hearing her, Terrene shivered, it chilled her to hear herself speak.

The fox wiggled awake and confusedly asked, "When did you go upstairs?"

Terrene's double cocked her head, "I was always there."

As the two spoke amongst each other, Terrene departed away into the annex of the rotting house. She hid herself, tucked away and sat against a cold wall. Terrene glanced over herself. It was as if her body had mildly disappeared and was just glowing. She thought, _what is wrong with me?_ The seedling wondered why and how she could do the things she could do. Was there any point to it?

Perhaps her only companion could make sense of everything that had been happening to her. She called, "Please come back to me Friend."

As soon as she had said it, Terrene felt being pulled upwards and her head spun from the force of it. She braced herself as she realized she was traveling again, this time she stayed within the walls of the rotting house.

There was a table before her, even chairs. She was surprised to find that this room also had windows, the ones where she lived were so dirty she hadn't realized they were there. The house was also different, the floors weren't soft from water, and it had more color.

Two animals walked in the room, but they did not seem to notice her there. One of them she recognized, Cream, or the Inventor, whatever she wanted to call herself, the other was a purple animal like Sonic or Sir Lancelot.

"Kay, "Cream started, "How long are we going to ignore this? Finitevus is up to something." The two sighed as they looked outside. Terrene could see eyes that did not match the purple animal, or "Kay", green eyes that reflected off of the windows.

"What have you told the freedom fighters? What could he possibly be doing that we don't clearly see." Kay said quietly.

"Everything that we talked about." Cream said, "Amy said she received a letter from inside the UMD. We still haven't been able to identify whom, but here's the interesting part. The letter states that they willingly gave themselves up to Finitevus' will! I was right, they are but they aren't themselves, every last one of them there. I don't want to go back there Kay, what if he starts suspecting me if he hasn't already?"

"We won't have to keep this charade up for long dear." Kay looked back at the seedling's corner, for a time he thought and seemed to be looking right at the seedling. "Terrene will come back."

Terrene gasped and slapped her mouth and hoped she hadn't been heard. How was it that this animal knew who she was?

"Take me back to daddy!" Distressed, Terrene thought of a stressful time when her father was still around, and was pulled away again, this time she landed on a few metal objects. She got up and rubbed her sore self. She was in a familiar room with many things she had never seen before, a lot of them metal and some boxes strewn about.

The seedling saw her father walk in the room angrily, he yelled and pushed a box over, making a plant in a pot jiggle, but before it hit the ground, Miles caught it. He gently set it down, drenched in water he walked and sat on a small couch and covered his eyes with his hands and began muttering to himself.

Terrene wondered where she was now and considered the fact that she might have been there before. The previous place she was in was hard to determine if she had travelled to the past or the future, the past made no specific sense to her(because of Cream's age), but now she felt she was truly in her past, and even her version's past.

The seedling noticed someone else go in, the individual was transparent for a moment like her, and they revealed themselves. Terrene held in a scream, her heart dropped as she saw a taller carbon copy of herself.

"Take me to my time!" Yet again Terrene felt her body being pulled upwards and she toppled over, feeling so lightheaded she could hardly feel her very soft head.

The seedling felt an overwhelming pressure come over her all at once and she reeled in pain and confusion, before the release she felt her body tighten and then just let go. She lay her body down and stared up into the starry sky. The wind kissed her cheek but she could hardly feel it. Terrene could even slightly hear the tall grass around her dance in agreement of the cool breeze.

The seedling felt exhaustion like she had never felt before, the lack of sun was the element to blame and she cursed her frail body. She heard a door open and that's when she knew she had made it back.

"Terrene?" She heard Cream call out. "Terrene!"

The child felt her head pulled upwards and then rested on something soft, she could see the rabbit looking down at her.

"What happened? Did you fall down?" Cream asked. Her expression grew worrisome when the girl did not respond for a time.

Terrene opened her mouth but nothing came out. Should she tell her about how she had traveled to see another version of Tails? Or should she just tell her how she had gone to the past? The seedling held back tears and sighed, "I miss him."

Cream hardened her visage and looked downtrodden, "Me too."

"I haven't been very nice to you," Terrene started, "Even though you and daddy took care of me."

Cream thought this over, "You remember me? You were just a plant."

Terrene nodded, "I remember all of you. But you were especially kind to me."

"I'm sorry," The rabbit apologized, "I didn't know you were you. Tails thought the plant-you would bring back Cosmo- your mom." The seedling looked away filled with hatred when she heard the name. Seeing this Cream changed the subject. "It's crazy that Tails has a daughter. Well, good kind of crazy."

"That's me." Terrene shrugged, "Why do you call him Tails? I thought his name was Miles."

"It is Miles." The rabbit responded, "His friends just called him Tails."

"Oh." The seedling paused, "Can I ask you something else? Do you know what a thing is with gray hair and is small and has like things coming out of its head like this?" She imitated what she thought the animal stalking her looked like. "And it's scary looking and walks on four legs?"

"Hm." The rabbit thought, "Like a goat?"

"Oh and it has seven eyes!" Terrene shuddered at the thought of the creature.

"Well goats don't normally have seven eyes." Cream remembered what she had read in Tails' journal and wondered if Terrene really was imagining things, "Have you seen something like that?"

Terrene nodded, "It says scary things to me."

"What kind of things?" The rabbit asked.

Terrene shook her head, "I dunno. What about a lamb with no eyes?"

"I guess it's just the same only the lamb is white and has soft fur, but they normally have two eyes, and no antlers like this." Cream motioned with her hands as if to signify antlers protruding from the top of her head.

"Maybe we should go inside." Terrene offered.

"Good idea." Cream agreed.

When the two stepped in, Terrene noticed the rotting house in a different light. Its walls always seemed so alien to her, even though she had spent a lot of her short life inside. The two lit a candle from Tails' bag and sat quietly. Terrene's thoughts were in a jumble. The house and where she had traveled to didn't add up. How was it that she had traveled to a time where Cream was older, and yet the house did not look older but newer? The house she grew up in was burnt to a crisp and then soaked to the brim with swamp water. "Do you know someone named Kay?"

Cream looked over, "No. Why?"

"I think I met Kay, well, I just saw him. I know him from somewhere." Terrene rubbed her very soft head and twirled her hair into knots.

"How? Haven't you been with us all this time?" Cream wondered, not looking up and only staring at the small fire from the candle.

Terrene hesitated, "I can… travel to different places… I just don't know how I do it." She hoped she wouldn't regret sharing what had been happening to her.

"Travel? What do you mean?" Cream asked.

And then an insidious thought crossed Terrene, "What if… we could save him?"

With a furrowed brow Cream looked up, but before she could respond the door of the rotting housed opened and in came Silver and Marine. Cream smiled at the hedgehog, hoping for some good news. The two that had come in slowly made their way to the seedling and the rabbit and sat, both with disappointed looks.

The rabbit kept hoping, "Any luck?"

Silver shook his head.

"What about the black creatures?" Cream held her breath.

"Surprisingly, none." Marine responded for the hedgehog.

"No Felidae. Nothing." Silver looked down at the small candle as if entranced by it, "We traveled for hours."

The rabbit sighed. "Maybe we'll have better luck tomorrow."

Silver looked up, his yellow eyes pierced the rabbit's. Intensely he said, "It's not safe here, we need to get both of you out of here."

Even with the thought of exerting any more energy, Terrene groaned and lay her head on Cream's lap.

Cream shook her head, "Maybe we should stay one more night, Terrene is tired."

"Fine, I'll carry her myself." Silver grunted.

"She's not like us. She needs sunlight, I think its best if we travel during the day." Cream exhaled and thought she was very fortunate to have read Tails' opinion on the matter. "There isn't much light these days, but it should be enough. It could be dangerous to travel now."

"I agree, for her sake." Marine spoke referring to the seedling.

Silver growled, "Fine." He spread his arms out and laid his head back on the soft wood. Marine was the next to fall asleep.

While affectionately rubbing Terrene's head, Cream waited for the seedling to fall asleep. When she did and had begun to breathe more rapidly and sweat more profusely, Cream too lay next to Terrene, and she wondered what Terrene meant when she said they could save him.

 **Hope you enjoy, this was a particularly hard part as a whole to write. This was released on 5/21/17.**


	20. Chapter 19: You Have Forgotten

**Chapter 19**

 **You Have Forgotten What This Chapter Is Truly Called**

Terrene opened her eyes and felt Cream hugging her from behind. She immediately felt an unnatural state of hunger. The only thing she could see at first was the soft glow of something blueish from Silver's hands. When her eyes finally adjusted, she crawled away from Cream, got up, almost falling over, and stood by the group.

The seedling could feel her hair prickle upwards and she felt something extremely cold on her back.

"You need to get out now."

"Friend?" Terrene asked but was given no response.

A blackened, rough voice rang out, "You cannot hide from me Mephiles."

More hunger could be felt throughout the house.

Terrene spun back and saw a large, floating eye with six tentacles flailing about in unison. The seedling gasped and hoped she had been heard, she looked over but the group was still fast asleep. She began to choke and was lifted upwards off the ground. She looked over at her enemy, the eye staring deep within her.

"What is this new body of yours?" The eye's voice was so rough is sounded raspy. "Did you really think you could betray our master without any consequence? Pitiful!" The eye pushed Terrene away and her back slammed against a wall and she lay still.

A blue aura surrounded the outline of the eye, it looked over to see the white hedgehog pointing one hand at him. Silver shouted, "Marine!"

The raccoon jumped up and saw what Silver was doing, she quickly went over to Cream and shook her until she woke. "You need to leave with Terrene." She whispered.

"Huh? What's going on?" Cream woke up startled and saw the floating eye and looked around for Terrene. When she saw her motionless she shouted, "Terrene!" She rushed for the seedling and softly shook her. "Please be okay." The seedling did not respond but was breathing very slowly, it was probably a bad sign, but she was alive. Cream picked her up and looked for a way out.

"Well if it isn't the son of the king himself!" The eye boomed, it floated closer to the white hedgehog, ignoring that Silver was trying to hold him in place.

Seeing this, Silver's eyes widened, "How are you doing that?"

"Where do you think you received that power?" The eye laughed so lowly it reverberated throughout the house. The eye choked the hedgehog as he had done with the seedling and pushed him towards the front door.

Cream ran towards the annex of the house as fast as she could, carrying Terrene with her.

"Not so fast "Inventor"." The eye shouted as it held the rabbit and the seedling in place.

Marine screeched and jumped for the eye, but before she got to him she too was held in place, choking. The front door slammed open and flew off its hinges. From outside entered many black creatures, many of the same color of the floating eye. They surrounded the group and the eye bellowed a monstrous laugh.

Loudly, before any of the black creatures could do anything, there was a screaming that came from everywhere at once. From the darkness came the shadow creatures, vile and sinister they each slashed and ravaged against the black monsters. One shadow, with eyes red as blood prowled towards the eye and slashed with all its might.

One of the eye's tentacles was cleaved off and in agony he yelled, the house vibrated again and he let go of the group at once.

Cream noticed the gap between she/Terrene and Silver and Marine grew as more and more black things poured into the house. Cream only looked back once before running into the annex and out of the house. She fell into the swamp, the water reaching her stomach, and she made sure it did not touch Terrene. Behind her she could hear more screams and shouts. She wanted to turn back and help her friends, but something told her to keep going.

In fact, something came into being again as before as the green shaded mammoth. When Cream got out of the swampy moat, he stood by pointing in a particular direction. Mogul spoke, "Your destiny awaits young Cream. You must go southeast to the land of Downunda, to Echidnopolis."

Still holding Terrene on her back, Cream looked back at the house and then forward, facing the giant mammoth, "Downunda? That's on the other side of the world! What about my friends? What's left of my friends. I won't abandon them."

The giant mammoth sighed, "You must become the Inventor. That is where you will find your place in this universe."

Cream's eyes and mouth widened, "You… it was you! You spoke to me from the Master Emerald. I have so many questions! I know that I'm the Inventor, but what did I invent? What is the machine? Why is it so important? Why am I so crucial to what the other me's want me to be?!"

The mammoth placed a hand on Cream. Surprisingly he wasn't just made of green light, he could be felt. Mogul's eyes began to water, "My dear Cream, we have been watching over you for many, many years. But I'm afraid you will not find your answers now, not with me." He looked over the rotting house and heard the screams from inside. He crouched so he and the rabbit could meet eye to eye. "Listen closely Cream, I will hold Black Doom back so you can get away."

"But-" Cream started.

"There isn't much time." Mogul tried again, "The Master Emerald will not allow me to guide you any further. From now on, you are on your own. Cream, this will be the last time we see each other, but know this, others, other than me, will be watching you very closely still." Mogul had many more things to tell her but only had so little time, "Cream, guide her to the lost tribe." He pointed at the seedling. "One final thing. Many years ago I embedded a piece of me and the Master Emerald in you and your friends. My gift to you was a blessing, to shield you from the shadow. You will need it in the days to come."

Disappointed, Cream did not understand but nodded anyway and left Mammoth Mogul to aid in her escape.

The wind screeched against Cream, and the sun was still not present. But regardless the rabbit kept running. Her arms began to ache- Terrene was big for her age. She also felt her leg muscles clench until she stopped after half an hour of running. She was following the sun where it began to rise, after she reached the borders of the forest, she had no idea what she might do. But reaching the opposite coast would take sixteen weeks she figured, or more. And that would be if she kept a fast pace.

Cream hid in tall grass, the forest seemed to be rife with it. All around the wind she could hear footsteps of whispers or even growls, she feared she had been caught but also wondered if she was imagining it all. She placed Terrene on the ground and closed her eyes. Everything that had led up to this point was nothing short of a nightmare, and she pretended like it all was something within her that was being made up.

Nothing of the sort was a dream, and Cream whimpered softly, too lightly to be heard in the monstrous howls of the wind. She looked at Terrene and wondered why _she_ seemed so important to her other selves. Out of habit, Cream grabbed at and fiddled with the silver ring that was tied around her wrist.

She, who sounded like a he, returned, _You have been deceived._

Cream pushed the voice in her head away, placed Terrene on her back and began to run again. This time she looked back many times to see several green lights shooting upwards into the sky in the horizon. She wondered who else had been watching over her, how Vector knew of Mogul, and most of all what was awaiting her in Echidnopolis.

* * *

"Daddy!" Terrene awoke screaming and sweating. It was dark out where she was but she could see a singular light waving in the air in front of her. She felt her body being pressed and she looked up to see Cream holding her. Too late did she realize Cream was actually talking to her.

"-So worried and I thought… but you're okay now!" Cream spat and looked at a very confused seedling in front of her.

"Where am I?" Terrene was able to say in a groggy manner. "What happened?" She rubbed the back of her head and whined. She felt the back of her head go in itself and she began to panic for a moment, but realized this would happen when she hurt herself.

"I was a little freaked out about that too." Cream started, "I hoped that that would heal in all this time but it only has a little. I bandaged it up and it seems to be doing well."

"My head… what happened to me?" Terrene groaned in pain.

"The eye…Black Doom… pushed you against a wall. You began to bleed… well it seemed like blood." Cream shuddered, "Most of it was clear, some of it green."

"I don't remember… where are we? And what happened to Silver and Marine?!" Terrene finally remembered, although her memory was hazy.

"We're in the Great Forest." Cream sighed, "I don't know what happened to them.

"Shouldn't we go back?" Terrene whined.

The rabbit realized she still hadn't explained that bit, "Terrene, you've been out for three weeks."

Terrene gasped and stared at the fire in front of her and then back at Cream. The rabbit nodded in return and then she stared at the crackling heat. She combed the seedling's hair with her fingers as she had done so often now.

Terrene killed the silence, "Where are we going?"

Cream did not respond. She really didn't know where she was going, she had never been anywhere outside of Northamer. Excluding space, Marmolim, Greengate, and the other worlds she had visited and Chris' home world. So really this should have been a cakewalk for her. But she had great company then. Even though this was her world, going to another continent and one that was on the other side of the world- it was terrifying. "We're going to Downunda."

Terrene considered this for a moment, "I've read about that place. Isn't that a whole ocean away? Plus the region of Efrika and Yurashia."

"Yes." Cream said indifferently.

"But why?" Terrene clamored.

"Honestly, I don't know. Something." Cream cut off her gaze from the fire and looked down at the seedling. She smiled and Terrene blushed.

The seedling realized she was being cradled like her father had so long ago. And then a thought made Terrene blush even harder than before. She struggled somewhat to say what she had in mind and she noticed that Cream knew she had something to say. "I thought you were my mom."

This too made Cream blush, "Oh."

"I know, it's embarrassing." Terrene covered her mouth with her hands. "You and daddy always took care of me… and then one day… you never came back."

Cream remembered the day she confessed her feelings to Tails and was saddened all over again for the same and some different reasons.

Terrene continued, "I thought you two were perfect for each other. And then… and then _she_ came along. She ruined everything. She took daddy from you and then she left again. And then he started hating me… for it." The seedling's eyes began to water.

Overwhelmed by all that Terrene had said, Cream was at a loss for words. She measured her next words carefully, "Sweetie, you know your father didn't hate you. Cosmo was-"

"Don't say her name!" Terrene shouted and glared at the rabbit.

Cream stopped and apologized, looking into the seedling's eyes she could almost see hatred spewing out, all because of a mere name. "I don't know why your mother had to leave, but I'm sure it was for a good reason."

"She's not my mother." Terrene made a face and crossed both arms.

Cream ignored her and took the opportunity to tell the child about a mother she had never met, "She was beautiful like you Terrene. You look so much like her."

Terrene did not say anything, nor did she look straight at the rabbit but she seemed to be listening anyway, curiosity getting the better of her.

Cream continued, "She had soft, straight, green hair, spilling over her head like yours does. And a green dress with petals, like yours."

Pensively, Terrene looked at the fire in front of her and began to make knots in her hair with her hands.

Noticing this, Cream went on, "Your mother was so caring to each of us. But not just us, she cared for all life in the galaxy. I remember one day, while traveling in space on the Blue Typhoon…"

* * *

The pure, white halls of the Blue Typhoon shined brightly with very much light. They were quiet, almost as quiet as the dark vacuum surrounding the battleship which was only just drifting to the next location.

The only sound that came from within the halls was a light rhythmic tapping which came to a halt suddenly. Cosmo exhaled deeply and only stared at the bedroom door in front of her. She had brought bandages with her and she wondered if Tails needed medication. She lightly tapped on the door, "Um, Tails, may I come in?"

"Cosmo? Sure." The fox's muffled response came from inside.

The door slid open and the seedrian went inside. Seeing the fox sat up on his bed she said, "I brought you some new bandages."

"Wow thanks… but, I think I'm alright now." Tails protested as he gave room for Cosmo to sit next to him.

"Nonsense." Cosmo began to untie the bandages that were already covering Tails head. He winced as she pulled of the last rotation. To his surprise, Tails head was swollen and had a large cut across his forehead. Cosmo placed treatment on the wound which made Tails wince again.

While she placed the new bandages Tails tried not to move so much, "Wow, you make a great nurse."

Cosmo grinned, "Didn't you tell me that down at the Metarex base?"

"Oh, did I? Right, sorry." Tails felt his cheeks flush hotly.

Cosmo finished up, "There, that should hold up for another day." The two thought of what to say next to each other, but neither could think of what that might be. The fox and the seedrian eye's began to drift onto one another and they stared long but did not realize they were doing so. Quickly she got up, now blushing, "I guess I'll leave you so you can rest."

Instinctively, Tails grabbed Cosmo's hand before she could go, and he said, "Thank you." Oh but he really was thinking of saying something else, he just didn't really know how to say it at that moment. Cosmo felt her chest rise with excitement and Tails felt his heart pumping out of his chest.

"You're welcome." Cosmo finally said, Tails let go, and she exited the room.

Cosmo smiled widely and sighed as the door behind her closed. "Oh." She said as she noticed there was a little rabbit in front of her, holding a plate with pie. "Hi Cream."

"How is he?" Cream hoped she would have a chance to see Tails.

"He's fine." Cosmo responded, "He's resting, though it might cheer him up to see you."

"Really?" Cream went over it in her head, "Well no, I don't want to bother him when he's resting."

"Cream, can I be honest with you?" Cosmo waited for Cream to set the plate down near Tail's door, and the two walked away down the very white hall.

"Of course! You can trust me." Cream vowed.

Cosmo hesitated oft when trying to explain herself in front of Cream. For a time the only sound that could be heard between them was the clapping of their feet. Cream waited patiently for Cosmo to say anything. The two finally reached the reactor room and Cosmo hid herself and Cream inside, looking around multiple times.

Inexorably, Cosmo sighed, "I have…feelings for someone."

Cream's eyes widened and she almost shrieked with excitement, "Who is it?" She squealed.

"I need to control myself though…" Cosmo could hardly contain her joy when she saw how Cream expressed it. "I think… I think its Tails."

Cream's smile turned into a grin. Part of her had always known the answer, and she wished she didn't know to begin with. Cosmo frowned and the two paused to think about what had just happened between them. Their eyes told the whole story but neither could or didn't want to believe the other.

"Cream do you…?" Cosmo began, "I didn't know."

Cream did not respond, she only looked at the ground and blushed in silence.

Cosmo apologized again, "Cream I swear I didn't know. Please I… I'm sorry. I promise I'll stop, he doesn't even know. And I'm sure he doesn't feel the same way."

Cream stopped her, "Tails hardly notices me half the time. It's okay Cosmo."

"I promise not to bring it up again, I swear." Cosmo cried.

"No, no. You should… tell him how you feel. I think he likes you too." Cream explained holding back something deep within.

"Really? You're not mad at me?" Relieved, Cosmo embraced the little rabbit.

"Of course not." Cream lied. "So… how long has this been going on?"

"Well…-" Cosmo trailed off and walked away from the reactor room thinking Cream was following beside her.

Cream took a moment for herself to sigh and hold back tears and she quickly caught up with Cosmo.

From within the reactor room, matter seemed to be stretching in on itself upwards and then it went back down revealing Cream and Terrene as they had been when the rabbit started the story. The two looked around and then at each other, and then they got up from where they were sitting.

"Terrene… where are we?" Cream asked, worried from the sudden rush of traveling through time and the constant banging on her head.

"I'm sorry I…" Terrene tried to think of how they had ended up there. Knowing what had happened before to her, she suspected this was her doing. "I think this was me."

"What? What do you mean?! How did we get here?!" Cream pressed her head with her hands, feeling the rush calm a bit.

"Remember when I told you that I was traveling? Well… I can kind of sort of can travel to different places… to the past…" Terrene tried holding Cream's hand and support her so she wouldn't fall.

"What? That makes no sense…when were you going to tell me? I mean, I guess you did." Cream familiarized herself with her surroundings and realized where she was. "The Typhoon. How is this possible?" In the current circumstance, Cream was reminded about when Mephiles had sent Tails and she to the past, much like this.

"I'm sorry, please don't be mad." Terrene cried.

Cream stopped and shot a glance at the seedling, then ran out of the room as fast as she could and headed down the hallway. Terrene soon followed and wondered where the rabbit was going.

The rabbit stopped running and just looked at a door in front of her. On the ground lay a plate with a piece of pie, still warm and smoking. Cream raised a hand and made a fist.

Terrene caught up with the rabbit and asked, "Cream, are you alright?"

Cream began to sob, still she held her hand in midair. She wanted to knock. She knew this was Tail's room. This was her moment to be with him again. And now, nothing would stop her from seeing him again.

"Who is in there?" Terrene asked, she slowly reached for Cream's hand trying to calm her down.

Between sobs and mildly erratic breaths, Cream started, "Tails." She wiped away her tears with her arm.

"Oh." Terrene said as she looked at the ground to think. After a long time she finally offered, "Why don't you knock?"

Cream gasped, even though that was her intention, to hear it coming from Terrene's own mouth was insanity at its finest. How terribly crazy was it? What Cream had wanted to do? If this wasn't a dream, she clearly had the chance to see Tails, not dead but alive. This made Cream terribly sick inside for a moment and she nearly keeled over. Her body bent, Cream made a face and held her hand on her mouth trying not to vomit. "Terre-…ne. Get me out of here."

"C'mon." Terrene led the rabbit down the corridor until they were close to the command center and clear from Tails' room. Still holding Cream's hand, Terrene tried with all her might to leave the Typhoon and go back to the forest. She grunted many times but could not get her powers to work.

Feeling a little better, Cream perked up and heard voices coming from the hallway they had come from. "Terrene." She whispered, "We need to get out of here now." Forgetting all about what Tails had written about Terrene, Cream remembered, "Wait… Terrene… how do you know where we are? I thought you were blind."

"I'm trying!" Terrene exclaimed feeling very lightheaded. "That's what daddy told me but…"

Just as the voices grew closer, the two feared they had been caught. But out of nowhere Terrene came through and the two had left. It was dark as it had been before and the two heard a rumble as it shook their core. They saw that they were still on the Typhoon but the lights had gone out. More rumblings shook the Typhoon violently.

"Terrene…" Cream asked, her head pounding nonstop, she almost couldn't see because of it.

"I'm sorry, I'll try again." Terrene began but quickly stopped. The lights flickered on of their own accord but snapped off once again. The seedling heard talking and shouting coming from the bridge.

"Terrene…" Cream tried again.

The seedling was caught off guard but managed to respond, "Hold on." She walked inside the bridge and could see many different animals overlooking a giant window. Outside was blackness and many lights heading towards the Typhoon. In the distance was another battleship.

In the center of the room were two distinct animals, one on the left was completely green, arms folded. The other to the right was the same species of animal as the one to the left, he had a black cape surrounding him and was a completely pale color, like a ghost.

"Doctor." Someone said, "We've cut through its shields!"

"Excellent. All batteries fire at will!" The pale animal shouted, but before anyone did anything, everyone heard Cream call out.

"Terrene!" Cream realized she was not alone and she saw not only Terrene gasp and look at her, but the other animals as well looked. The green animal turned and she immediately recognized him as Knuckles. The two met their gaze and both were bewildered. Then the pale animal looked, his eyes yellow and devilish. The pale animal had a yellow mark on his forehead which seemed to spiral in on itself and black markings decorated around it.

When the pale animal saw the rabbit and the seedling, he did not look the least bit worried or surprised like everyone else. Instead he raised his arms which had three golden rings on his wrists attached to metal like a gauntlet, in fact his legs were like that too and had metal surrounding his feet.

The pale echidna's golden marking began to shine and swirl, and both Terrene and Cream were caught in a torrent of darkness. Then they heard his voice, a dark one at that with a strange accent- the only one of its kind, "Forget." He said, and his laugh could be heard, distinctly like a thousand different voices calling out for release.

The two did not know how long they were unconscious for, but it could have been for a few minutes or longer.

Terrene was the first to notice they were back in the forest and she saw Cream sprawled on the ground. Going to her rescue she sat close to her head and tried to wake her up. "Cream! Cream!" Cream opened her eyes slowly to find a relieved seedling over her. "Oh thank goodness."

"Terrene?" Cream asked, feeling very lightheaded, she rubbed her sore head. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Terrene responded. "We were on the Typhoon and then…"

The rabbit sat up and quickly hugged the seedling. Terrene was surprised by the sudden motion but returned the gesture. The two girls did not say anything for a time, but only recollected their thoughts about what they had just experienced.

"I'm sorry about what happened to me back there." Cream interrupted the silence.

"It's okay." Terrene responded, "I feel that way about daddy too. I too want to see him again."

The two stared into the blackness of the night and wondered what lay ahead of them. Would it be hardships like before? Or something terrible that they would soon want to forget? Cream thought of a plan that would make them reach their destination quicker, "Terrene… if you can travel like that to places… could you try taking us to Echidnopolis from here?"

Terrene smiled and too thought it was a good idea, "I can try."

"Only if you're up to it." Cream stood and helped the seedling up, extending a hand.

Terrene nodded and Cream grabbed Tails' backpack and put out the fire. Terrene concentrated with all her might and they were pulled upwards and then shot back down like a rubber band. Terrene grunted and fell over but the rabbit caught her in time.

"How do you feel?" Cream asked.

"I'm fine, I think. Did it work?" Terrene coughed.

Cream sighed with relief as she saw what lay before her, "You got us to the Long Sea Terrene. We're that much closer to our destination."

Terrene too was relieved they didn't have to walk all that way. The little seedling looked at the vastness of the ocean and saw a purple figure on the horizon walking towards her.

Terrene.

Terrene.

"Terrene."

 **That's it for part 2. If you felt like you hated it loved it something'ed it please tell me. I've really just forgotten why I'm writing this to begin with. When will part 3 come out? I don't know, i've stopped writing it and am taking a break. This chapter was released on 6/4/17.**


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